The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-09-13
A Dreadful Falsehood.

Ae0Ao IL 4dl0 OA 4uuTSudy
evening 1 attended service at the
Josephite Mission Chapel, in this
city, to hear Alexander III. Smith
preach. l had, years ago, conversed
with young Jo:eph, and heard Da-
vid lecture or preach often here, SO
| thought l would hear Alexan .er,
that might know the ability OF the
two brothers-sons of J oseph Smith.
paid the fullest attention, not los
ing u word. Heseemed earnest and
sincere, ihoEgh rot sprofoup:i nor
particularly me hodicdl But | was
Utterly astounded, ss he proceeded
in his discourse, to hear h's bold and
unwarianted assertion in regard 70
his brothers call to the Presie
dency of "The Re-organizsd
Church, or work IN which the bro.
theirs are zealo9slY engaged. He
proDounded one question, az COM
ing from an objector, often made,
he said: "Why did not young
Joseph come 10 Utah, where SO
many who nbeyed your fathers
faith reside?" After some side re-
marks, he said: 'My brother went
to God and asked him what he
should do. He read that he must
not take counsel of man, but go di.
rect to God, who would give him
wisdom. He asked God with all
fervency of heart, and while doing
SO, suddenly great light, brighter
than the monday sun, shone around
him, and the voice OF God said:
There is more truth around you
where you stand" This he re-
peated in nearly the same words
during his talk. l say l was as.
founded to hear him gay Sc. Joseph,
his brother, while in this city some
years ago stated publicly, that he
never heard voice from God; had
no priesthood but what his father
gave him and received no reveals
lions but those given to his father
Thers were persons present in the
chapel on Thursday who heard him
say 30 in the public meeting in this
city.
The writer of this. years sgc, III
the presence of witnesses, one Of
whom is in this city besides himself
now, had an interview with Joseph
in the parlor of the Mansion House
in NauYoo. In course OF conYerss-
ton This write remarked: The body
of people in Utah, with Brigham
Young, declare that they have a
claim on the attention of man in
which salvation is concerned; you
say you have like claim,
as serious and important.
What authority have you
to make this claim? Your father
said that he saw God, and heart His
voice. DID you see GOD, or hear His
voice? The candid answer was, No.
L never heard the voice Of God nor
saw Him. Did you see Jesus or
have authority from Him? ms
swered, No. Your father said that
he received yisitations and author
ity from an angel. Did you hear or
see one? Again the candid
answer, No. Did YOU, then, re.
ceive an inkliug of the spirit, what
may be said sn inward call, as some
preachers say they have, a very
strong i'm preston? No, was the re-
ply. Well, then, what did you re-
ceive to make you assume the po-
sition You take? His reply was e.
"Well. it was from source that
am not at liberty at present to men
tion."
I'm sgine, then, the feelings of this
writer on hearing Alexander say
boldly and unblushingly, that his
brother, before assuming the head
ship CT the ReOrgan zad Church,
saw great light, brighter than the
noeu-day sun, and heard the voice
OF God. thought the day of voices
and lights and Authorizations had
passed; TINT men are not to be
caught with such clap trap; but
when 1 heard that unwarranted as .
sertion, that falsehood, uttered be-
fore the little congregation on
Thursday night, I came away with
greater disgust at all such impu-
dent testimonies. H7w can men lie
about holy things? How take the
name or God in vain?
A man be excused for lying in
jest; he may be forgiven for 9 in
pushing trade, the trade being
honest In itself; he may be over
looked for telling yarn to excite
wonder; we may emile at white lies;
Or person may circulate false>
hood unwittingly, but to lie in the
name OF God, utter falsehoods to
promote cause calling itself reli-
gious, to deceive the simple. unwary
and copfiding. is not oDl uni ardon
able bat should be punishable.
When | asked Joseph why he did
not go to Utah where so many Of
the same belief, fundamentally, re-
side. his reply was, IF l.W Md go
there they would kill me- L re-
marked that 1t could not possibly be
SO, as there are many there that
revere your fathers memory, and
woDld respect his son. This was in
December, 1860
| have no desire to excite autagon-
ism, or to antagon re; have no wis }
to take away any comfort persons
may take in adopting belief that
does not lead men into sin, crime
and treason, even though that belief
seems 10 ms absurd; but L conceive