Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-04-07
nv n,suop onsoN =. WHITNEY.

NJ the Savior. the Prophet Isaiah. gas-
ing down the vista OF many centuries.
s,resaw and proclaimed the coming
,o,th Of "a marvellous work and won
a.r" before which the wisdom Of the
wise should perish and the understand.
,us Of the prudent should be hid. Tho
,amc prophet predicted the setting up
Of AN ensign for the nations" the as
,cmbilng Of the outcasts Of Israel. and
the gathering together % the dispersed
Of Judah from the four corners " the
earth. other prophets forotoid the
samc events. The Scriptures. both Of
the old and New Tcstamcn,r. are be-
plete with references 10 tho great theme
of the gathering Of Israel In the last
DAYS. when the children OF Abraham.
fans0mcd aud redeemed. recalled from
their long dispersion among the GENTLE
and heather nations. should ny upon
The shoulders OF the phiiiatinea toward
the Vest" there 10 build up Zion. tho
Mountain u the Lords House" the city
Of Holiness. unto which all nations
should now. like rivora TO their ocean.
Tor publication and enlightenment. that
through the power and glory OF ODD
that thonld rest upon her. making her
sealnh- thc JOY OF Nne whore "afths
the world might be clcanacd from sin
and mankind prepared for tho Mllien-
NAL reign Of peace and Righteousness.
II were well for the student Of Nor
moniam, so-callci. to approach the
study u the subject with these facts In
mind. with these and other predictions
" the ancient recrs as a metc-wand
with when u measure the motives. the
aims. the aspirations ana achieve.
ments Of the strange and
wondrous work founded by Joseph
Smith and his followers In
direct fulniimcnt. AZ they declare. Of
these solemn sayings OF the inspired
oraeles, Of God: II he do not. he shall
not understand II. II VIII bafiic him
At every turn. However wise he may
be, his wisdom shall perish: however
prudent. his understanding shall be
hii. IN the presence OF problem not 10
b. disposed OF by peltinE II with nick
names and opprobrioua epithetH:
problem mighty and profound. worthy
sidefation OF tho bost and brightest
minds ~ the aye.
This article IN not intended as an
argument for Mormonisn. II merely
aims 10 ret forth. for the information
the general readef. the main facts Of
the rise and progress OF the strange
faith--stranre indeed TO the genera
tion that gave Il birth which, begin.
ning less than eighty years ago with
an unlcticrcd farfn-boy ms Its only adj
Nochtc. now numbers arlonr itn de.
voices three hundred thousand nouln.
which. sprinring Into existence In the
backwooda 81 western New York, has
planted Itself. where Its youthful
Prophet said u would. In the tops 81
The Rocky Mountains. Il votarics. the
children OF Ephraim, IN. nrst-born of
God. nrrt fruits Of the gathering, pur-
suing thus far, nh refugees, the track
81 the settling sun. flying upon the
shoulderr Of the phiiirtlnea toward
the West" then turning. a. their
spiritual eonquetorr, 10 spoil them ~
the East together" For Mormonlan
aims not onlv 10 build up zion, a New
Jerusalem. upon tho American conti-
nent, Its purpose II also 10 convert the
Jews, TO restore the Ton Tribes, and
rebuild Jerusalom upon the Aniatlc
continent, This u the divine pros
IRAN. laid down by the I.aiter.day
Prophet. to the end that "the law
might go forth from Zion. and the
word of the Lord from Jcruaaiem." that
the Kingdom Of God, FOR which Jesus
prayed. .misht literally come, and His
WI be done on earth even AZ II Il done
IN heaven.
Mormonlsm T. the Gospel Of Jesu.
Christ. restored in primitive purity
otef ages Of apostasy: II IL also the
ssfierei religion OF Adam, Enoch.
Noah, Abraham Moses and other
laitiarchs ana Prophets. the one true
lospel-for there II but one--eyerlnrt-
ING and interchangeable. the same ycHter-
day. today ana forever. formulated In
the heavens before the earth was crc-
hird, revealed from uod 10 man IN
dlnerent dispennationH. aud finally re-
-1fef. for the last time, In this the
dlHpensation Of the fuinean OF times.
the hour 81 Gods Judgment. a. fore
seen by John In the Apocalypse. mey.
xiv .. ~
THE nor PROPHET.
Joseph Smith. whose boyish brain
oould-ii have been uninzpired Of Godf
conceived this fisantic project this
supefhuman undertaking, was q native
~ Vermont. born at the little town OF
hharon. Windsor county. In that State.
on the s3rd of December. isO5 ITS
parents Joseph and Lucy Smith. were
poor but cody people. his sirc an hon
st tlller OF the soil ~-s his aHsocia-
lions and surroundings Were Of the
humblest and most primitive character.
lite was the fourth Of ten children. seven
sons and three. daughters lic had
little schooling, could ncaroely write his
name but was an earnest student OF
,he Scriptures and n seeker after truth
Ills first great spiritual manifestation
came while his mind was profoundly
aEitaied upon tho subject of his souls
salvation. aA the result Of religious
revival In and around the village OF
Manchester, ontario tnow Waynol
county. New York. 10 which place the
family had removed when Joseph was
about ten years old. He was now four,
teon, ana u was the spring Of 1890,
lsetiring 20 the solitude OF the woods
near his fathers home. the boy knelt
N prayer, ana bcsouTht the great crca-
tor TO show him (which OF all the con-
Vending rectn Of christendom was the
uuo church Of God, In order that he
might Join II, His simple prayer was
marvclously answered. A fierce strug-
Gle with the power Of evil was sue
steled by . glorious vision In which the
rather and the Son. tho first and second
iftonA Of the Trinity, appeared TO him
ana Instructed him regarding his future
course. lie was told that none OF the
churches then extnnt upon the earth
was the true one. that all had gone out
or the way. teaching for doctrine the
commandments OF men. drawing near
70 the Lord with their lips while theh
hearts were far from Him. ana that he
was not to unite with any Of them.
nut hold himself aloof ard await fur
thsr developments.
Vine, having told frlend--n Methodist
ininisier--what he had seen and hearn
N the grove. he became. as tho rumorn
on his vision spread. an object Of tho
nhterest persecution. tits all OF the
deyil there are no such things In these
Gays" was tho cold comfort