The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-20
What Mormonism Is
AS Taught By Saints
A Caiechism of the Faith as
Taught by Joseph Smith,
the Prophet


the prophet based on the Bible and on sup
Elementary revelations.
Who was Joseph Smith?
He was the fourth child in family of
nine children and was born in Sharon. VT
in 1905. His parents were poor. When Jo-
seph was 10 years old they moved TO Pal
myra, n. Y, where his father opened a
cake and beer shop" The family was re-
garded as illiterate and "shiftless" in the
neghborhood. Joseph, however. became
familiar with the Bible and at the age of
fifteen began Ito see Visions" as ne told
the incredulous -neighbors. At that time he
had the reputation of being eccentric.
What was the nature of his visions?
His first came at a time of great religious
excitement when he thought ne had the
vision Of the Apostle Paul. Three years
later, according to his story, an angel
named Moroni visited him and told him of
a book. written upon golden plates. in
which was a history of the former inhab-
tants of America, and 1.-The fullness of the
everlasting gospel" The place where the
book was hidden was also revealed. 1t was
on a hill near Palmyra.
What happened when Smith went after
the book?
An unseen power prevented him from re-
moving it. Moroni later assured him that
he valued the golden plates more than the
records upon them. Not until his love for
gold had abated and he was willing to give
his time TO the translation were the plates
TO be delivered TO him. 1t was not, Smith
said, until Sept. %. 1897, that he got pos
session of the book
What was the hook of Mormon liLa0
Smith described it as book of thin gold
plates, eight inches long, seven wide and
six thick. The plates were inscribed on both
sides with hieroglyphics The characters
were Reformed Egyptian"
How did Smith translate the book?
Fortunately, a pair of magic spectacIes.
which he called Trim and Thummin."
was with the book. With the aid of these
he read it.
Did any one beside Smith see the plates?
Al nrst Smith did his tranSlating behind
a curtain debating to Martin Harris and
oliver Cowdery. Later he showed some of
the golden plates to eleven witnesses.
what testimony did the witnesses leave?
In the published Book of Mormon the
following notice appears with the sigma
lures or the witnesses appended:
BE 1t known unto all nations, kndreds,
tongues and people unto whom this work
shall come, that Joseph Smith, Jun, the
translator of this work, has shown unto us
which have the appearance of gold: and as
many of the leaves as the said Smith has
translated we did handle with our hands;
and we also saw the engraVings thereon.
all of which has the appearance of ancient
work and of curious workmanship. And
thus we bear record with words of sober
ness, that the said Smith hath shown unto
US, Tor we have seen and hefted, and know
of surety that the said Smith has got
the plates of which we have spoken. And
we give our names unto the world, to wit
ness unto the world that which we have
seen, and we lie not, God bearing witness
of il.
What has become of the witnesses?
IL is believed that all of them are dead.
Eight of them were members of two fam
lilies.
What became of the plates?
They vanished, Smith said. AT any rate
nobody has seen them since.
When was the Book of Mormon pub
IL was printed at Palmyra in 1880 and the
church was established in the same year.
What is the full title of the Book of
On the title page appears: 1.-The Book
of Mormon: An Account Written by the
Hand of Mormon Upon Plates Taken
From the Plates of Nephi." Below the I'll
tie follows this paragraph:
Whereof ii is an abridgement of the rec
ord Of the people of Nephi, and also of the
Lamanites, written to the Lamanites, who
are a remnant of the house of Israel: and
also to Jew and gentle: written by way of
commandment and also by the spirit of
prophecy and of revelation. Written and
sealed up, and hid up unto the Lord, that
they might not be destroyed to come forth
by the gift and power of God unto the in
depreciation thereof sealed by the hand
come forth in due time by way of gentle;
the Interpretation thereof by the gift of
God.
What does the book purport to be?
1t says that it gives the history of the
occupation of the American continent.
Briefly the story is that after the destruc-
ton of Babel and the confusion of tongues,
America settlel by one of the peoples
Afterwards, in the sixth century, 3. c.,
Lehi and his sons went to South America
and from them We're descended the In
dams. 1t is related, too, that after the res
direction, Christ went to America and
preached to the people. At the final de-
struction of the civilized people. after
bloody wars. God commanded the prophet
Mormon to record the events and hide the
record. The Book of Mormon is not a
doctrinal work. 1t is chiefly narrative.
Whence do the Mormons derive their
doctrines?
From the Bible and from a series of
divine revelations" made to the head of
the church and published in a volume
called Doctrine and Covenants"
What is the Mormons' creed?
They believe in the Trinity, in punishment
obedience to the laws and ordinances of the
gospel.
What are the ordinances?
Faith in Christ, repentance. baptism for
the remission of sins and laying on of hands
for the gift of the Holy Ghost. The Nor
mons believe further in the divine organiza-
ton of the Mormon Church, in the Bible as
the word of God in the Book of Mormon MS
the further word of God, in the restoration
of the ten tribes of Israel, in the building
of Zion on the American continent and in
| the second coming of Christ.
When was polygamy introduced?
The belief generally accepted Is that Smith
claimed to have a revelation sanctioning
polygamy in 1881; that this was withheld
| from most of the saints for a time, but that
ii was at once revealed to a favored few
| by whom it was practiced: and that Smith
| himself had plural wives. These statements
are denied by Smiths son. Joseph Smith, of
| Lamont. Ia, head of the seeding branch of
| the church who asserts that his father did
not believe in polygamy. The doctrine was
| first publicly proclaimed by Brigham
Young in 1852. 1t was suspended by ''reve-
lation' TO President Woodruff in 1890. The
| church divided after the death OF Prophet
Smith and the Recognized Church of Jesus
! Christ of Latter-day Saints has never sane
| toned polygamy.
How many members have the two
| branches of the Mormon Church?
The Utah branch is credited with 300 900
| and the reOrganiZed branch with 10000. The
/ Mormons at independence. Mo belong to