The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1886-04-28
A AREVERIE.


lated how fifty-six years ago Smith, the
founder of Mormonism, brought forward
his ssBook Of Mormon" This book was
the condensed sixteen books of record
kept by successive kings and priests and
collected into one book by MorSaon, which
upon his death was supplemented by his
son with some personal "reminiscences and
by him buried in the hill of Cumorah-he
being divinely assured that the book
would be one day discovered by Gods
chosen prophet, This is Smiths account
Of the book but ii reality 1t was written
in 1912 as a historical romance by one
Solomon Spaulding, q cracked Drained
preacher, and the manuscript falling into
the hand of the unscrupulous compositor,
Sidney Rigdon, was copied by him and
subsequently given to Joseph Smith.
Armed with this book end with self as
sumed divine authority, the latter soon
began % attract followers. The writer
described and commented on their super
stitious beliefs He ridiculed the belief in
their miracles, their inspiration, their be-
lief in the imminent end of the world,
their casting out OF devils, their gift of
prophecy, their form of baptism, their be-
lief i'm the literal resurrection Of the body
and of salvation by belief alone. He
showed the danger that might result from
their belief In the continual divine revela-
ton made through the inspired medium Of
the head Of the church. The strength of
their organization with its inspired twelve
apostles, who were dispatched to preach
and convert the world. He justly censur-
ed the cruelty and craft of their Saint Cy-
ril-John ID. Lee, who lead and instigated
the massacre of every soul belonging TO
an emigrant traih st Mountain Meadows.
He commented on the indon1ltable will,
persuasive e1oquenee, executive ability,
shreWdness and zeal of their Saint Paul,
Brigham Young. He described their rap
id success among the lower orders. From
official statistics their number was placed
at 213 900 and fears were entertained that
were it not for the superior intelligence Of
the age, iemighJ spread among the ignor-
ant masses to an alarming extent and by
tempting. some political demagogue to put
himself atits head might endanger the
state. The article was written in a SOM
niferous strain; the room was warm and
fell asleep and dreamed the following !:
thought Ilived in the year A. D. $50
and attended a lecture delivered by CELSIUS,
noted philosophic writer OF the second
century, en- the new sect that was just be-
ginning to attract notice-the Christians.
The lecturer commenced by stating his
disbelief Of the supernatural. The only
possibility of the existence of such per-
son as the Christian Jesus, that he could
conceive, depended on his being demoniac,
but Jesus showed nothing of that majesty,
that grandeur, that energy of will in
worldly affairs that he deemed essential to
the dan1lalii,;; but he believed that even on
the basis. of philosophy which permitted
the supernatural, the claims of Jesus must
be rejected. The Christians claimed to be
a sect of the Jews and relied on Jewish
testimony to prove the truth of their
statements. But the Jews reject the nil
raculous birth of Jesus and say Mary was
divorced from her husband, and wander
ing about fell ia with Roman soldier,
Panthera, who was the father Of Jesus.
Jesus being needy went down into Egypt
and there learned all the tricks by which
he could work apparent miracles, and on
the strength of this knowledge he claimed
TO be the Son of God when he returned to
Judea. But who could believe the state
ments made in regard to him; who heard
the voice at his baptism? None but him
self and a companion who shared his
dream or rather imposture. The miracles
ascribed to him are absurd. Any one
could see Such miracles by paying a few
obols to an Egyptian juggler. II Jesus
was God. would he have chosen such
wicked and worthless men as his diciples !?
If he knew that Judas would betray him
why did he make him his companion?
But the. story Of his resurrection especial
" seemed absurd. He was publicly con-
demned before the eyes Of all. f he rose
again, why did he not make his justifica-
ton as publicY Would he not have con-
fronted his judge, his accusers, the gener-
al public, and given undoubsable evi-
=dence that he was not fnalefactor? And
who saw him after he rose again? A
half insane woman and one Or two follow
=ers who were in the very humor to trust to
dreams, or an excited fancy. The lecturer
then endeavored to show that the Greeks
had al that was good IN Christianity. but
iii 4 n,bissr and h.t'ar fs,rt,a. ael be urges
the Christians tu give up their separatist
tendency 10 be patriotic, and join IN the
civil and military duties imposed on citi-
zens by the STATE. Tlae1i halief- ars' silly
aud Dueriie. they object 10 the divinity OF