The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-10-19
coMMUNICATED.l
JOS. SMITH ASA PROPHET.

/
under the heading of Lectures on
Mormonism" which set forth that
Pastor R. G. McNiece would lecture
on that evening on the above sub
iect. | attended and from the gen.
itleman's preamble anticipated
something ofan oritorical, as well
as logical treat; for one is naturally
led to expect something out Of the
ordinary routine when an orator
prepares his discourse by the an
nouncement Of his thanks to an all
benefcent Providence for placing
him in such an exalted position,
Realistically speaking) above the
great unwashed around him. Ana,
if it is fact that Mr.. McNiece has
had very superior advantages in
point of education and of access to
books of an instructive character,
then the wonder to me at the con-
clusion OF the discourse was, why
some of his boosted requirements
as an accomplished educationalist
and as an eminent logician
were not displayed during the
tevening. [ have not the time nor
do, presume that you would grant
me the space of more than casually
iadverting to some of the more sail
ent points of Pastor McNiece's dis
course. After citing the names of
Moses, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah,
Malaehai and Jesus as prophets
whose names appear inscribed upon
the pages of the Old and New Tes-
taments, the lecturer called atten-
ton very properly to their pure and
noble lives, and stated that he pro-
posed to try as to whether Joseph
Smith was prophet Of the Lord or
not by seven of the characteristics
which distinguished the lives and
laborS Of the men alluded to. The
first of these tests (of which only
two were taken notice of during
the evening" was character. At
this juncture the reverend pastor
introduced the reading of the evil
dence of those whose interest it
had been, and of that class whose
Interest it will ever be, to traduce
the name and social standing of
Joseph Smith. After remarking
that the ancient prophets were all
men of irreproachable character and
stainless lives, our worthy lecturer
endeaYored to feist upon his audi
ence the belief that Joseph Smith,
from the records obtainable con-
corning him, never had so much as
a character to lose: but was some
thing like unto the man who was
absent when hair was supposed to
have been served out-he was bald
headed. Now, when man publicly
declares that his motive for under
taking sucI an inquiry as this, is
nothing more nor less than desire
to arrive at the truth he is naturally
expected to rise away above the
wretched proceedings of an ordinary
m crown prosecutor, and establish
: himself in the elevated position of Z
Judge, and an upright and honest
one at that. But would just judge
after having heard all the evidence
against prisoner, be justified il
condemning that prisoner without
even attempting to examine evi
denoe in his favor? Most decidedly
not, and so far as understand thu
law, it there should be a doub
after weighing such evidence
then that doubt shall be exercised
in favor of the prisoner. Wa.
this the course adopted by Pasto
McNiece? Scarcely SO; for afte
reading most of that which is &C
cepted by anti-Mormons as conclu
sive evidence against the characte
Of Joseph Smith, he never once at
n tempted to cite any evidence which
! might be procurable in his favor
notwithstanding there being 81
many right here in the Territor,
whose lives had been spent in clos
proximity to Joseph Smiths, an,
whose evidence in point of number
and other particulars would b
overwhelming.
But how about the character o
Moses, the first Of the prophets al
luded to by Mr.. Mon iece-was hi
character stainless? Was he neve
i'll spoken Of by those who kne1
him? In the first place Moses wa.
in the eyes of the law, a murders
and was SO reproached for the sam
7 by his own brethren as to be CON
u PEELED to flee from Egypt. He wa
also party to procuring valuable
from the Egyptians, and OF Aeein
away in the middle of the nigt
without the idea of returning th
same. Now, if the McNiece log
q be applied to these matter
m without even the apparent d.
y sire of seeking any extenuatin
circumstances for the cOmmissio
of such acts, where should We loo
for the record of the character
Moses but in the criminal calenda
: of his day? Then, again, take IL
In character of our Savior Jesus, a
cording to the statements of b
enemies or of those who did II
think as he did. When he cast OF
devils, it was said by the reputab
al holy of that day that it was by tt
i~ power of BeelZebub that he did
He was alluded to as gluttono1
man, q wine-bibber, and friend
publicans and sinners; was locke
upon as a Sabbath-breaker, al
eventually tried, condemned al
ap cruciiied for Dlasphemy. Surely til
is q toIerably lengthy category
crimes, if it were true; and accor
ing to the McNiece code of reaso
ing it must be true, for IN order
lo0nxy;of a mon If SnoO1c tO mo fh