Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-10-08
CONCERNING THAT INTERVIEW.
Reply Of Elder Samuel G. Spencer 10 Letter
Recently Published in he saints Herald.

-, Ritter Utah. Sept. 2ith. 1898.
A few days ago a friend called nv
attention 10 letter froni Sir. J0soph
Lun OF the Reorranlzsd Church "a
dressed 20 Robert j. Parker. "a H,Is.ie,'-
any from said church 90 Utah. with AL.
dress at Sprngvlllc, Utah, a. pubilshst
In the Saints Herald OF Sept ian. tsss.
In regard 10 the interview u March
18Th. 1896. at Independence NO. be-.
tween Joseph Smith and me. In com.
pany " Elders y. 3. Hart. VIM. Cridiie.
a. q. Young and also Joseph Lun oi
the RcnrraniEcd Church. ID WINS nir
gcsted that reply from me might nj
b. out uf place.
Accordingly AZ my earliest app5r.
iunliy I pcruscd Mr. LumH statement.
and You may Imagine my surprise al
HIS attempts 10 deny the oorrecincfs VI
tho questions and answers. as pub.
llfhcd IN the "Dgacrct News What
hla object may be- In such miHrcprc.
noniauon l presume h.. better than l
can say.
After iooklr. over his iotier ana oh.
serving tho spirit manifest In IT, con-
tents I am Indeed surprised that he
should admit that h. even know I ala
write anything az all w hi1 presence
quite different with Mr.. smiih-he had
no knowledge whatever OF me writing.
Lun admlisi "iic pretended 90 have
some questions down IN writing aud
would ask one az time. ihun begin
writing when an answer was given.
and. THAI. too. without hearing tho an
swcr In fuili"
who but short hand" reporter
would wait for The "eud" before h.
made his hoglnnlngG
Luff says surely those people who
account President Smith as a knhve
will MOI pretend to believe him % be
Mr.. smith nlya. (saintf Herald. July
sath. 1890 'The aueatlnna were not
written Ia my presence. nor did sec
then In written. neither were the an
rwcra shown me. nor written In my
presence 10 my knowlciEe,'
n Mr.. Smith could rit In the same
room Ga room probably not larger than
! IA by iO whore Elder spencer held his
! Journal In one hand ana fountain pen
In the other. and begin wr1tlnH when
an answer was given, and that too,
without hearing the answer In full,' A.
Mr.. T.uff admits. surely Saints an sin
nrra will observe a defect romewhofc.
n Mr.. Smith has no "knnwiedEc' OF tho
fact OF me writing he certainly can
have but very little retained M MS
memory Of what was said on that oece-
sion. a., A..
smith seemed e. be perfectly dumb
founded when confronted by Few OF
she mos humble Elders.
Ia Mr.. smith'a letter 20 ]. NJ. stub
remember the entire dialogue % Marnh
is, 1890. and pretends 90 give u word
Cor word after q lapse u two months,
(but canno, remember me writing
strangely although. be II said 90 his
credit. he Inserts w his letter no L.,
than six or eight times Il think" II
lon't think" II believe" II done be-
lleve" II don't know" etc, etc.
n Il with the ,ull belief and ingcn-
tlon OF meeting the Creator " heaven
and earth. 60 be judged flr the deeds
done In my body. that vprti what
have ever said of she ''lfhcrNitw."
every question given and every answer
written a. published IN the "Dessrei
News" signed by myself and chose
with me. are IN no Instance altered %
changed. but are true and correct, and
though heaven ana cargh may pass
away. STR. Smith and Mr., Luff, ms well
a. ourselves VIII have 20 face the fact.
whether che questions and answers
please or diapleaHc them And as far
~ l am concerned I win uoS accuse
Mr. Smith of either being "knave."
Or a "fool,' but l am forced 60 admf
that I never met 81 man OF standing In
any community who talked with los
spirit % cane and confidence. with less
expression OF ra.is;action and know
ledge. than ala he IN our presence.
10 MOI record thia out of dlsrcspcei.
but simply as a matter Of fact, which
! can In no Wise alter.
iief1re meeting Mr.. Smith had
lnnFsd ana prayed FOR the privilege Of
c1nversnE with him.
May God gran; thai the day may not
be far distant hen those claiming 60
believe IN the restoration Of the DOS
pei may acknowledge tho house Of the
Lord In the mountains and be- one with
" In rcdesmlng fallen mankind.
SAMUEL. a. SPENCER.