Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-03-03

earth has a right % say what Is true
thrlstlauity, aud what u not
thrist himself, the founder OF the
chufcn, has that right. with that au.
thority ~ back him, Joseph smith
had no fear that his declaration.
would 10 met with successful
contradiction. There IL only one
question that can present. Itself 70 our
minds In that connection, and that u;
Did the boy tall the TRUTH Did he
really convcrHe with Jesus Chntt, or
was u an Imagination " hewlldurwl
aud excited mind? We shall see as We
proceed. viii Grst Introduce The
Prophetic own testimony concerning
this his hrst vision. Nc snys la his
history:
II has often caused me rious rclloc.
lions, both ihon aud since. how very
strange II wa. that an obscure boy, of a
little over iourlcun years " age. aud ono,
too. who was doomed 10 the neccg.iiy of
obtaining q scanty maintenance by hIs
daily labor. should be Thought chnfirtar
~ sufficient lmtoftnus 20 to o. tract thn nl-
tenuun Of tho great ones Of tho most
popular sec,s OF the day, - ~ 10 create IN
thrm a spirit Of The hottest persecution
aud raviling. But strange or not, sn II
WIS, and was oiteu cause or great sprfnY
To myself However Il was, nevertheless,
fael, that I hid had vision. |
have Thought since, that I felt much
like Paul when be made his d,ionse
bcioro King Agrippt, aud related the nc-
cunii OF ihe vision he had when he snw q
light aud henfd voice; but still there
were bui few who beloved hini some
sald he wasdishnnost. others said h. was
mad. aud he was rdlculcd aud reyilsli
hut all this did not dcitroy tho reality Of
his Vs. on. llc bal s.nn q vision. he knew
he had, aud all the persecution unlcr
heaven cOrld not make VI otherwise; aud
though they should pcrsccuto him unto
death, vet be- know, aud would knuw un-
10 III latest breath, ibai he had both seen
q light aud heard ayoico speaking 10 him,
and nll the world could NOT make him
think ~ buliovo 0therslso.
ESQ II wAs With me, had actually seen
u light, aud In tho midst OF that light
saw two pofsonagcs, aud they did In
reality speak unto me, or one of thcm
did aud though I was hated aud pfrso-
cutc1 for saying that I.hnd seen vision.
yc, Il wa true; and while th0y woro pcr-
scouting ne. rcyillng mo aud speaking
against me, falsely, for 20 saying, ] WINS
led 10 say In ms hcrrt, WIN prosecute
for telling the truthg ! have actually
seen u vision, aud who am ! that can
Withstand GOd7 or why docs the world
think 10 max. mo DENY what have ar-
tually srenf Fur have seen vision.
know II aud know that Dol Know II,
and ! could not DENY Il, neither dnrr do
u, at least | Know that by 40 doing
would offend God aud come under con-
dumnation."
Since the time Joseph had this Wis.
lon the Elders OF the Church OF Jesus
.sN 4 AL. 10
trnvcrsci the globe, they have visited
all the so-,alled Christian nations Of
the earth; they have examined this
croeds and organizations Of the Chris.
tian sccts OF every land aud every
cline, and have learned beyond doubt
that the true Church OF Christ was
not upon the earth nj the time Joseph
made his sweeping dcclarntlon, aud
that Il does not exist outside Of the
Church organizsd under the direction
aud authority of the Redccmer Him.
self by Joseph Smith.
mn WORDS w THE ANGEL.
On the a2ni Of September, 1883,
Joseph smith, after spending the pre-
vious night under the tntorship Of the
angel Moroni, was again visited by
that holy pcrsonage on the hill Gu.
morah IN tue western part OF the State
of New York, and was shown the
plates, which were delivered 10 him
four years later and from which he
translated the Book OF Mormon. While
standing on this historic hill. with the
angel at his side, he again received
gl0rlouA Instructions and warning,,and
among other things was told that when
he should bring forth the Book OF Nor
mon, the workers OF iniguity would
seek his overthrow. Says The angel:
"1fiey will circulate lilsoho0d- to dos
troy your reputation, aud alsn will seek
to take your llfoi hut remember this, "
you are aithnil. and shall hereafter con.
linus In keep the commandment OF tho
Lord, yuu shall hn preserved To bring
these things forth; for IN duo timc be will
give YOU n commandment 10 come aud
take them. Whcn they are Interpreted.
the Lord will give the holy Priesthood 10
some, aud they shall begin to proclaim
this Gospel and baptizo by wntcr. aud
after that they shall have power To give
tho Holy Ghost by thu laying on of hands.
Then will persecution rage more aud
moro; for the lniquitics ~ men shall ba
revealed, and those who arc not built
upon the rock will seek Ia overthrow tho
Church; hut u VIII Increase the more OPP
posed, aud spread further and further"
The angel further told him;
'Your name shall DO known among
tho nations; for thu work which the Lord
viii perform by your hands shall cause
the righteous 10 rejoice aud tho wicked 10
nigc; with the one u shall DO had IN
honor aud with the other In rcproach.r
Hi1oncoi Record page 3ja.
rh.se nrophpLic aayiups havo had AZ
literal u hiltlllment that no further ex-
planstlon Is necessary. II the predic-
lions here made were Joseph's own pro.
ductIons, aud no angel OF God hal a
part In It. Is II not strange that every
word OF II should prove true?
TRinuIATIoss PREDICTED.
In 1851 the Saints were commanded
TO gather TO Jackson County, Mo-,
which WIS designated as land OF In.
hsritance for the Saints Ia the last
days, aud also as the Identical spot
where they should build that great
city, the New Jerusalem, about which
the ancient Prophets aud Saints Ind
sung, prayed and reJoiced NO much.
Joseph smith had Just arrived In that
goodiy hand, together with q number
OF his brethren, when n revelation,
containing some very strange sayings
was given ON the LIST OF August, 1881.
The Lord said:
"iIoarkOn, o ye Eldors OF any Church,
and give ear In my word, and learn Of me
what 1 will concerning You, md also con.
corning hi. land unto which have sent
YOU. For verify ! say unto You, blessed
4. la. thai kppugll my gDmmaulnuanfs