Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-11-09
Elders B. H. Roberts and Heber ].
Grant the Speakers Yester-
day Afternoon.
DIVINITY or BOOK OF MORMON.
rormer Cites Some Of Its Marvellous
Predictions Supporting Its Authen.
ticity---Latter Says Farewell.

Tbe sneakers at the Tabernacle yes
terday afternoon were Elders Is. II.
poberts and Heber j. Grant, the for
mer dealing with the divine authenti-
civ of the Book of Mormon and the
latter bearing an earnest testimony
prior to his departure tomorrow TO
take charge Of the European mission.
The services were presided over py
President Angus Nj. Cannon
The choir and congregation seng the
hymn:
Redeemer OF Israel,
our only delight.
on whom for a blessing we call.
PRAYER was offered by Bishop Will
liam 49, Preston.
The choir further sang:
Zion stands with hills surrounded,
Zion kept by power divine
Elder b. II. Roberts was the first
sneaker. He began by remarking that
the labor of the ministry In the church
of Christ, while in the main one OF JOY
and satisfaction, was also one attend
ed at times with feelings OF anxiety
due TO the consciousness that unless
prompted by the Spirit OF the Lord. an
attempt to address the Saints OF God
and edify them would be useless. But
IL was the right of the Priesthood Of
God to be guided by this Spirit, pro-
yided, of course, they were living wor-
thy OF such blessing. lie hoped, there
fore, that this Spirit would guide the
.emarks he would be led to make,
The speaker said he had been engag-
ed Of late In preparing matter for the
young peoples associations throughout
the Church, viz, matter concerning the
IL of N M -
he believed the study of this record
would be Of great benefit to all con-
cerned. In early days the Lord saw
III to reprove the Saints for neglecting
to study this sacred book, and of late
years, thought the speaker the atten-
ton paid to 1t had not been equal to
its Importance
Elder Roberts then took up the sub
ject Of the Book of Mormon and stated
that while its coming forth was hut an
incident In the work OF the latter days,
It was such an one that upon its diyin-
ity or non-divinity, depended, in large
measure, the ivnity OF the mission of
the Prophet Joseph. through whose in
strumentality IT was brought forth
The speaker referred to the many
attacks made upon the Book of Nor
mon by learned men, and cited one by
the reverend Alexander Campbell
whose arguments he was called TO meet
while laboring as a missionary In the
southern states. The discussion re-
suited in a great many people joining
the Church in that neghborhood
The arguments concerning the Book
Of Mromon were directed not against
its divinity but to minor matters which
had no bearing on its coming forth at
all. What | would like to see said the
speaker would be an attempt to over
throw Its divinity and the truthfulness
OF the subject matter Il contained.
Elder Roberts read from First Nephl
a portion of prophecy concerning a
belief among the gentlles and Jews OF
the things contained In the book re-
ferred to, He cited this In support OF
its sacred character despite the claims
of a crack-bralned minister to the
contrary. Reading further from the
prophecy alluded to, Elder Roberts
showed that the contents of the Book
OF Mormon were to be carried to all
nations and were also to be preached
to the descendants Of those of whose
existence and history 1t was a record.
This had been fulfilled in the latter
days The record had been presented
to the remnants OF the seed OF Nephi--
the Notwithstanding their hearts
glad with the joyous news Of their
proud ancestry. If the Book Of Nor
mon were the romance some had de-
clared 1t to be, why did II contain such
n marvellous prediction and why had
that prediction been brought to pass?
The Book of Mormon testified that the
Lamanites would yet become a white
and deightsome people and this proph-
ecy the speaker was willing to place
side by side with the belief of modern
Christianity that the Lamanites, the
seed Of Nephi, who were the descend
ants OF Joseph who was sold into
Egypt. would soon become extinct and
disappear from view entirely. AS God
had spoken It. a remnant Of this his
torlc people would surely be rescued
from the tottering ruins of once
mighty people.
Through the medium of the Book Of