Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-06-29
SERVICES At
THE TABERNACLE.
Bishop 0rsou r, Whitney Delivers
An Eloquent Discourse,
A NOTABLE ANNIVERSARY.
Refers 20 the Assassination OF the
Prophet and Patriarch what
''uormOnismr IL.

The attendance at the Tabernacle
yesterday afternoon was gratifyingly
large aud the speaker was Bishop Or
son +. whitney, who dealt with the
martyrdom Of the Prophet and the Pa
trIarch, Joseph aud Hyrum Smith. the
18th anniversary OF which occurred on
Saturday. The services were presided
over by President Angus NJ. Cannon.
The Choir and congregation sang;
Praise to the man who communed with
Jehovah
Jesus anointed that Prophet and Seer,
Prayer was offered by Elder Hamilton
G.. Park.
The choir sang the anthem;
Let the Mountains Shout for JOY.
Bishop Whitney began by referring to
the fact that Saturday was most Inn
portant anniversary in the history OF
the Church Of Jesus Christ OF Latter
DAY Saints, In that So years ago the
Prophet and the Patriarch, Joseph and
Hyruin, We're iassassinated In Carthage
JAN And presume, said the speaker,
thls Was In the minds OF the singers and
Qt me authority that selected the hymn
rendered at the opening OF our service
THIS afternoon. II has for It's subject
tne Prophet Founder OF the Church, who
win MS brother the Patriarch, gave his
NE Tor the testimony OF Jesus. Both
these men sealed their testimony with
thelr blood. This is q strange declara-
uoh TO make In the midst OF an enllght-
ehed Christian civilization; to tell them
tnat while they were preaching
Christ and Him cruclfed and
making proselytes. that in the
MIDST OF such a people and amid such
circumstances q Prophet OF God, a
CHOSEN messenger OF Jesus Christ pro-
claiming The opening OF the dlspensatlon
OF me fulness OF times, sealed his tes-
umony with his blood. and
that he was slain. as the Prophets be-
,ore MN, for bearing this testimony 10
ms iellow man. II is to the credit OF
our Christian friends, in one sense that
ney are slow to belle2e that such a
.hing could happen under such condi-
The speaker then took up the history
OF tne prophets who had been put TO
ueath ior the testimonies they bore, and
cteu the fact that the Jews were Just
as ioth TO believe that they had put TO
ueath ne Son of God, as were the peo-
pie III TINS day when they were charged
WIN numbering q Prophet of the Most
n,gh History was but repeating IT,
sen. " Is natural for human nature
10 look backward, When the children
ol israel We're redeemed from Egypt
tney We're prone to look back to Egypt
and lie Uagh
70 The milk and honey OF the land OF
Canaan. II 10 human nature TO honor
the dead Prophets and garnish their
sepulchers, while putting 10 death the
Prophets OF the present time. But
there Ia nothing astonishing about II
When we survey II In the llght of ali
history II We could see behind the veil
] dare say we would learn that these
prophets had been appointed as mar /
tyrs, as well as messengers from God
IN the beginning. He,knows who Gre
ated and redeemed many worlds before
TINS, how human nature VIII act under |
any given conditions. He know that |
Adam and Eve would fall, and He |
determined to bring good out OF the |
EVIL, "Mormonlsm" goes so far as TO |
say and show that our first parents |
came here 10 play their part in a great |
drama, providing for the progress and |
glory OF humankind Ii was mart of |
Gods plan that man should come here !
and be mortal.
Bishop Whitney dwelt upon the d. |
vine appointment of Adam aud Eve 10 |
fail that the spirits Of men might take |
upon themselves mortality. And In pro- |
viding for this fall He also provided for |
a redemption hence It was not an as |
tonishment to the heavens when Christ |
was lifted upon the cross. He was .p- |
pointed 10 die He was sent TO be a |
martyr, and II the veil were lifted Il |
would be found that there were many |
such. not excepting the Prophet and the |
Patriarch Joseph and Hyrum Smith.
IN reasoning thus, said the |
speaker, some may think that |
the human family STANDS guitless be-
fore God for this offense. To these I |
answer as did the Master 1T must |
needs be that offenses come, but woe to |
them by whom they come"
The Latter-day Saints look beyond
the tragedy at Carthage. beyond all |
earthly phases OF this work our minds
are lifted 20 higher things. The chit.
dren OF Israel. the children OF Abraham
land the Jatter-day salnts-claim 10 be
lineal ueseendants'of Abraham-regard
this lie as important but do not fasten
their hopes upon Il nor bow down and
worship al its shrine and they do not
regard as OF most importance what men
call life and death, time, earth. and the
things thereof
.Mormonism" has achieved much IN
q material way. but the greater phases
OF II are permitted 10 pass unnoticed.
The work done here in the west In re-
DEFINING the desert and causing il 10
BLOSSOM appeals TO the worldly mind
and is recognized as an achievement OF
"Mormonsm about the only one the
world Is willing 10 recognize remem-
Der gentleman who came here In the
decade OF the SOS, about the time OF
the beginning of what We call the cruS-
ade. lie had been sent here by the
New YORK World TO study conditions
ana 10 report the result OF HIS findings.
He did this and In one Of his letters 20
his paper said II defy the meauest
man on earth 10 stand with me upon
the bench land In Cache valley and
gate upon that broad eXpanse OF fertile
hnms dotted with happy homes and
20 say In his heart that "Mormonlsm"
~ either fraud or failure And he
was not convert 20 our faith. he cared
nothing for Joseph Smith or the prin-
ciples Of "Morm0nlsm" But he looked
and saw the orchards and the gardens
the cities and the temples, and oxclalm.
ID, "Ftaud5 do not perform such mira.
olef." But these are not the greater
phases Of ''Mormonism." They are mere
Incidents IN The great march OF human
prCgrcss, one great step OF which was
taken by the humble Prophet. Joseph
Smith.
The speaker reviewed conditions at
he time Joseph went into the woods
20 pray He told Of the glorious appear.
ing TO him OF the Father and the Son
IN 4 OF the answer given him. TO Jon
none Of the churches then organized
'or all had departed from the true path
from that day until June q. 1874 the
Prophet was a living martyr. and ne
1ied a martyr because he would not ne.
tract what he had spoken OF deny what
ne had seen, All were against him. In.
sluding those who had felgned friend.
ship ana had professed to take much in
crest In him. They told him II was AL
p the devil" and refused to entertain