Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-01-10
II MORMON EPIC.
:, T,ut6, the Mighty 0heme Of the
= Dispensofion. Told in Verse
Sublime.
Sublime.

struotlon OF this work the author has
been engaged In his leisure moments
during the past two and a half years.
though the materials for II have neces-
sarily been much longer IN gathering.
The poem really represents the matured
study of lifetime. II aims to present
IN poetic form the whole vast theme
OF "Mormonism," Historically as well
as doctrlnally, so far as 1t has been
revealed through the Prophet Joseph
Smith and his successors, this theme is
maintained. As its title announces. the
poem Is truly an epic OF the ages, not
only the ages of time, but also the
aeons of eternity 1t seeks to embody
the truth, past. present and future Of
the great plan Of salvation. This plan,
the author shows, was framed by d.
vine intelligence, and revealed from God
to man through prophets previously
elected in the heavens and later stand
ing upon the earth at the head OF a
series Of Gospel dispensatlons. No
modern names are used. excepting those
of classic character, but the historl-
cal personages introduced are described
or referred to IN such way as to leave
no doubt OF their identity. The avowed
purpose Of the author has been to con-
struct Mormon" poem, from
Mormon standpoint upon
the subject and in the spirit
OF "Mormonsm; and 1t occurs to
the reviewer that the perusal Of this
work by poetic readers unwilling to
read a religious tract or listen to a
Gospel sermon, Is most likely TO induce
further study of the faith, aud thus
assist In spreading knowledge Of the
truth which the Latter-day Saints have
received.
The real subject Of the poem--the
very heart Of tits that sublime mys-
terry which has commanded the atten-
ton and challenged the attempted anal
ysis Of every deep thinker who has pom
dered the problem Of human knowledge
Emerson calls It the Universal Mind.
"There Is one mind" he says com
mon to all individual men. Every man
is an inlet OF the same, - Who
hath access 20 this universal mind, Is a
party to all that is or can be done"
Herbert Spencer somewhat crudely
Identifies 1t with the persistence OF
force and calls It the infinite and eter-
nal energy from which all things pro
ceed." Pope conceived that this infinite
intelligence spreads undivided, oper-
ates unspent," etc, For Plato It was
the ideas pre-exlstent in the mind Of
God, to which man attains in his right
reason, and even In his perceptions. BY
modern philosophy truth Is recognized
as the mind Of Cod and when we think
truly. II Is claimed, II is not we that
think, but the universal reason that
thinks In us. Now, TO the religious
mind, this universal intelligence to
which he who will may attain. Is sim
ply the inspiration OF the Eternal One
Illuminating the minds OF men; and this
power has, in religious revelation, been
personfled, BY Joseph Smith the Holy
Ghost is declared TO be parsonage
"a parsonage of spirit" The Holy
Ghost, the inspirer Of ancient and mod
ern seers, is the real subject OF this
poem; and the aim is 10 show to what
purpose the inspiration OF heaven rests
upon men, This idea runs like golden
strand from prelude 70 epilogue The
poem has the merit Of every laudable
undertaking In literature-the author
has something TO say. He has a mes
sage to deliver and Is fully conscious
of its Importance. He concentrates his
powers and literally "wreaks his
thought" upon the truths he presents
and the images he portrays. His sub
ject--the Spirit Of Reyelation-stirs him
to do his best work, and right nobly
Is the mighty task undertaken.
ANALYSIS OF THE POEM.
The poem consists OF twelve parts; in
Guiding the prelude and the eplogue;
but the body Of the work is contained in
the ten intervening sections or cantos,
each having a separate caption or sub
title. The prelude gives the poets mo-
tive In writing, and In the first canto,
"As From a Dream" he describes his
youthful ideals.
Glory and Iove-these were my guides
divine,
The planet passions OF my destiny,
The Baal and Astaroth to whom
bowed.
A Canaanite, in rapt idolatry.
But there came to him "a strange
and stern awakening" Storms Of mis-
fortune dispelled deusion's dreams.
Truth spoke to his soul The ideals OF
vouthf,n fancy were displaced low those