Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-04-06

Seven nuuufcu letrh Dttofe tnt oHNh
Of the Savior. the Prophet Isaiah. gag
ing down the vista OF many centuries.
f,rcuaw and proclaimed the coming
forth Of "a marvellous work and won
der" before which the wisdom Of the
wise should perish and the understand
ing Of the prudent should be hid. The
same prophet predicted the setting up
II ian ensign for the nations" the as
Fcmbling Of the outcasts u Israel. and
the gathering together Of the dispersed
u Judah from the four corners OF the
earth. Other prophets forctoli the
same events. The Scriptures. both of
the Old and New Tcstaments. are be-
plc,e with references TO the great theme
II the gathering OF Israel In the last
days, when the children OF Abraham,
ranaomcd and redeemed. recalled from
their long dispersion among the GENTLE
and heather nations. should "ny upon
the shoulders OF the philiHtinrH toward
the Vest" there to build up Zion. the
Mountain OF the Lords House." the city
" Holiness. unto which all nations
should How, like rivers TO their ocean,
for purlfcation and enlightenment; that
through the power and glory OF God
that should rest upon her. making her
-zlon-"thc Joy OF the whole earth"
the world might be clcanacd from sin
and mankind prepared for the Mlllen-
NAL reign OF peace and rightcouHneaa.
II were well for the student OF Nor
Inonism, so-callcd. TO approach ths
study Of the subject with these facts In
mind, With these and other predictions
% the ancient nccrs na a wand
with which to measure the motives. the
aims, the aspirations and achieve:
wondrous work founded By Joseph
smith and his followers In
direct fuifilmcnt. as they declare. OF
these solemn sayings OF the inspired
oraelcs Of God. n he do not. he shalt
not understand IL. II Will banic him
~ every turn. However wise he may
be. his wisdom shall pcrigh. however
prudent. his understanding shall be
hid, In the prenencc of n problem not 10
be disposed OF by peltinR II with nick
names ana opprobriouA cpithetH. n
problem mighty and profound. worthy
The serious thought, the prnycrfui con-
liberation OF the best and brightest
This article II not intended as an
argument FOR MormonlHm. II merely
aims To set forth. for the information
the general reader. the main facts OF
the rise and progress OF the strange
fnith-strnnfc indeed 10 the genera
ming less thnn eighty years ago with
nm unlcttsr"d farm boy M Its only al.
Nocatc. now numbers among It's de-
voices three hundred thousand souls;
which. sprinrinr into existence In the
hackwoodn OF western New York. has
planted itself. where It's youthful
Prophet said II would. In the tops 81
'hc Rocky Mountains. II votaricn, the
children Of Ephraim, the frut-born OF
God, firnt fruits OF the gathering, pur-
suing thus far. aa refugees the track
OF the setting sun. lying upon the
shoulderH Of the Philistinca toward
the West" then turning. aa their
spiritual conaucroru. 10 "Hpoll them Of
the East together" For Mormonlam
aims not only 60 build up Zion. a New
Jerusalem, upon the American CONT
ncnt; It's purpose IN also to convert the
Jews. 20 restore tho Ten Tribes. aud
rebuild Jerusalem upon the Asiatic
continent. This II the divine pro-
Eram, laid down by the I.atter-day
Prophet, 10 tho end that "thc law"
might 20 forth from Zion. and the
word Of the Lord from Jerusnicm." that
the Kingdom OF God, for which Jesus
prayed. might literally come. and His
In heaven.
Mormonirm IN tho Gospel OF Jesus
Christ. restored In primitive purity
nfter ages OF apoatnsy; II II also the
restored religion Of Adam. Enoch,
Noah. abraham Moses and other
patrinrchs and Prophetai the one true
uoHpel-for there II but one-cyerihnt-
'1s ana Interchangeable the same yeatcr-
dhy. today ana forever; formulated In
ire heavens before the earth was cro-
nt"a. revealed from God to man In
different dispensations. and finally re-
~,ored, for the last time. In this the
ulapcnantlon Of the fulneHz OF times,
tho hour OF Gods judgment. us fore
s.en by Joan Ia the Apocalypse. ucv.
Nlv. q. -
THE BOY PROPHET.
Joseph Smith. whose boylah brain
could II have been uninHpircd OF God7
conceived this gigantic project. this
Huperhuman undertaking. was a native
~ Vermont, born at the little town OF
Sharon. Windsor county. In that State.
On the 25rd OF December. 1906. His
parents Joseph and Lucy Smith, We're
poor but cody people. his sire AN hon
est tiller OF the soil. n-d his associn-
lions and surroundings were ~ the
hnmblest and most primitive character,
lie was the fourth OF ten children, seven
hohh and three daughterr. He had
little schooling, could scarcely write his
name. but was an earnest student OF
the scriptures and seeker after truth
and light
iiih nfht tTeht tpitituhi manifestation
came while his mind was profoundly
ngitatcd upon the subject OF his souls
salvation. aa the result OF religious
revival In and around the village OF
Manchester. ontario NOV Wayne)
county, New York. 10 which place the
family had removed when Joseph was
about ten years old. lie was now four.
teon, and II was the spring OF 1890.
ltetiring to the solitude OF the woods
near his fathers home. the boy knelt
IN prayer, and beaought the great crea-
Tor 10 show him which Of all the con-
tending sccts OF christendom was the
true church OF God, In order that he
might join II. His simple prayer was
mnrvclouHiy answered. A fierce Strng-
fle with the power ~ evil was sue
cecfcd by a glorious vision In which the
Father ana the son. the first and second
Persons Of the Trinity. appeared 10 him
ana instructed him regarding his future
course He was told that none OF the
churches then oxtant upon the earth
was the true one, that all had gone out
or the way. teaching for doctrine the
commandments OF men. drawing near
20 the Lord with their lips while theh
hearts were far from Him, and that he
Was not To unite with any OF taem,
but hold himself nloOf and await fur
ther developments.
He did az he was directed, but mean
time, having told a friend-a Methodist
in'niatri--what he had seen and heard
w the grove. he became. M the rumors
or his vision spread. an object OF the
bittcrert persecution. Its all OF the
ceyfi; there are no such things In these