Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-03-05


many hitherto leading Elders OF the
Church against the Prophet Joseph; the
extensive apostasy Of many Elders and
Saints In Kirkland; with the account OF
which calamitous events this volume
closes.
THE EXPEDITION OF lions
CAMP.
The time covered by this volume may
properly be called the Kirkland period
Of the Church history, since that city
is the chief center Of activity. the
four years which comprise the period
are marked. on the one hand. by rapid
doctrinal development, institutional
growth, outward enlargement ana IN
ternal spiritual progress; ana, on the
her hand, are marked by Internal
dissensions, abundant manifestations or
human weakness and wickedness, re-
sulting In bitterness and apostasy' The
perlod Is one in which the Church
is manifestly militant, and not al
ways. from surface appearances
trinmphant. Yet removed from
that perIod by wellnigh three-quarters
Of a century, one may see now th4i u
was a glorious period, NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
sombre shadows are now ana tneu cesI
athwart the pathway OF the Vhurch
progress. who can rightly estimate tue
value of the experiences oil lhat 'noEe,
ment for the redemption OF Hlon' caUeu
lions Camp? Nothing so completely
reveals the worth or worthlesshess OF
human character as expeditions OF inns
description. Men are thrown mo such
relations with each other that all that u
In them. good or bad, comes to the sur
face. As opportunities In time OF war
reveal noble or debased natures 80 IN
expeditions such as lions camp the
base or exalted phases OF human ma
lure are forced to the surface, ana are
known aud read of then. God, II APP
pears, vas about TO choose HIS lorelgn
ministry, His Especial witnesses 10 the
world. the Twelve and the seventy Al
Ter the expedition Of lions Camp He
could choose them from among men
who had offered their all IN sacrlhCe
even TO life itself for the WORK
sake. Are not such manifesty inter
witnesses than those who are untrled'
Will IL be argued that TO the All-knoW-
ing the untried are as well known as
the tried. and that God needed no such
demonstration Of fidelity as was AZ
forded by the expedition OF lions Camp
I'm order to guide Him in the choice OF
His Witnesses 20 the nations OF the
earth? II SO. my answer would be an
acauiescence-God needs no such eXpe-
dition In order 20 reveal 70 Him the
worthiness of those who shall be His
special Witnesses. But what of the
world-what Of men? Do not they need
some such evidence back Of those VINO
shall testify Of new dispensauon or
the Gospel? VIII not men have more
regard for the testimony of Witnesses
who have offered their all IN sacrince
for any given work, than for the testl-
mony of witnesses who have made no
such sacrifice? Undoubtedly, Not for
Gods guidance. then. but for the quail
fcation Of the Witnesses In the eyes or
men was the expedition Of lions Camp
I'm mart conceived and executed. Also
that those men who. under God-the
Prophet Joseph Smith and the Three
Witnesses TO the Book of Mormon
were to make choice Of especial Wit
nesses might know whom 10 select be
cause Of actually demonstrated htness
and worthiness
Moreover there were men IN that expe-
ditlon who later will be called upon to
conduct larger expeditions much OF the
same character--an exodus Of thousands
from Missouri; an exodus Of tens of
thousands from the confines OF the
United States, q thousand miles into the
wilderness of the Rocky Mountains,
May not the Lord have designed In part
this expedition of lions Camp for their
instruction, for their training? The
leaders of these later movements are
all there-Brigham Young, Heber G.
Kimhall Orson Pratt, Farley p Pratt,
Charles g. Rich, George a. Smith. VIII
ford Woodruff and many more. IL II
significant, too, that Brigham Young
at least sensed the true Importance
Of the lions Camp expedition, That
expedition for the redemption OF Zion
was regarded by many weak-faithed
Saints as sad failure. humiliation
Of presumptuOus prophet, one of
these attempted to ridlcule It In the
presenuce Of Brigham Young, as a case
of marching men up q hill 10 march
them down again. "Well' said the
scofler, what did you gain on this
useless Journey TO Missouri with Joseph
SMITH" "All we went for" promptly
replied Brigham Young. II would not
exchange the experience gained In that
expedition for all the wealthy of
Geauga county" A remark which
nroves that Brigham Young had keen
Insight into the purpose OF the lions
| Camp movement
FIRST EDUCATIONAL MOVEMENT
OF THE CHURCH,
The value of the educational
movement In the Church by
| the establishment OF a school
for the Elders In Kirkland. can
not be fully appreciated even yet
| II stands as q direct contradiction {,
the oft repeated charges that Nor
monism" seeks to thrive through thu
ignorance OF It's devotees, Seek y,
diligently, and teach one another words
| of WISDOM was an adm0nition tn,