The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1851-09-24

mense practical industry. and pitiable SUI
perstilhus dcluson What the Mormons do,
seems 10 be excellent; what they say, is
mostly nonsense.
AT the very outset of the story, we are
met by the marvellous. Joseph Smith, the
ignorant rustic sees visions, lays claim to in
splraiion, and pretends TO communion with
angels and with the Divinity Himself He
is pfoughboy, and aspires TO be prophet :;
he is at first what they call wild. " but re.
pen,s; in his rude, coarsc life, and narrow
way, he really has genuine interest in the
Bible. In this disturbed variety Of feelings
the young Yankee grows up; he is, as YOU
see pretty clearly, naturally shrowd-yet
crcdulous. The noiehbors are puzzled what
to make of Joseph he complains that " per-
secution " was his lot very early, The
ncighborinS ministers did not Iiston very
iavorably to toes visions The time for all
that, they told him, was gone by; nobody
had visions nowadays! But Joseph sirug,
gled on; for he felt some power in himself
felt that he was, in his way, shining light
but, like many other shining lights, set in
a desperately thick horn lantern The fact
was, Joseph, naturally gifted, was wretched.
ly brought up. Perhaps it would be fair to
say that he hoped to be able to do some good
IN his timei go rushed into his career with
strategetic dsguiscs to help him on. The
world would not listen TO plain Joe Smith
junior, prophet. unaidcd. Joe Smith must
have something to help him. In the Nine
teenth century YOU must rig" your spirit
ual market Joe thought, as well as any oth>
er. So TO make things pleasant he set
about cooking up his own accounts Of his
own prophecies with tale of the marvel,
ou,. Accordingly, in 1927, rumor spread
about among persons interested in those
matters, that Joseph Smith junior had mado
discovery Of importance. Inspired by a
vision, he had searched in certain spot of
ground, and there had discovered some
records, written on pilates, apparently Of
gold" which contained, in Egyptian charac>
ters, an additional Bible This was, indeed,
the Book of Mormon" from which the
sect derive their name. The book professed
to be sacred and inspired narrative, re-
served for the rev prophet to usher into the
world, and i, thu, described by one Of the
Mormon apostles -
"The Book of Mormon contains tho his,
tory Of tho ancient Inhabitants of America,
who were a branch Of the house of Is, sel
Of tho tribe Of Joseph; OF whom the in
dians are still remnant; but The principal
nation of them having fallen in battle, in the
fourth or fifth century, one Of their prophets
whose name was Mormon, saw fit to make
an abridgement Of their history, their pro-
phecies, and their doctrine, which he en-.
graved on plates, and afterwards, being slain
the record fell into the hands Of his son
Moroni, who, being hunted by his enemies,
was directed to deposit the record safely in
the earth, with a promise from God that it,
should be preserved, and should be brou2h,
to light in the latter days by means Of
Gentle nation, who should possess the land. |
The deposit was made about the year four
hundred and twenty, on hill then called
Cumora, now in Ontario county, where it |
was preserved in safety until il was brought |
to light by no less than the ministry Of an
gels, and translated by inspiration. And |
to chosen witnesses, who declare il to the |
world"
This book is extant (in it, printed English
form, of course) in the British Museum, and
resembles the Scriptures about as much as a
Of the Pentateuch by Moses and
Sons poet 1t appears from all the evil
1encc, in fact, that this book of Mormon was
founded on "A historical romnnc:, written by
IN American author some years before
Prophet Smiths lime, which fell, while still
n MS, into The hands Of friend OF the
prophets, and which was sublinated into
,r inspired" state by the prophet and a
personal acquaintance. 1t was followed
~ book of doctrines and covenants.
Not long alter their publication, the sue
ess of these works was so great, that Jo-
ephs faith in his own febrications appears
o have become wonderfully strengthened
md lie began, poor fellow, TO believe in
iimself and TO take lp prophecy as trade.
Ie had occasional revelations 10 suit
ach new phase in his career. He pro-
essed nlso TO work miracles, mud 10 cast ,
evils out OF the bodies of brother Tomkins ,
nd brother Gibhs, whenever those worthy I
nen were troubled with them. ,
The sect increased with great rapidly. c
gained converts everywhere in the States. g
The disciples took the name of The Church
I Jesus Christ Of Lattel-Day Saints /
hey held that these present days are the !
latter ones, preparatory 10 The Millen- 0
I'M. A material, eminenlly Jonathonian I
'rm Of Christianity organized itself grad. c
had apostles and disciples 4
nee more The world saw man believed #
| by his felsow-mcn, and reverenced as
lcred. :;
1t sounds strange TO hear of church
lving a "localion." But " location " h
as The term they applied 10 their place of c
ltlenent. Their first one was in Jack. i
N County, Missouri. Here was to DO the Il
New Jerusalem.' Picture TO yourself ;r
AIDED wagons travelling westward; canal q,
'ats swimming low and deep down he 81
'ers-lhe tail brawny prophet with dark W
es tho Church is on its way One sh