The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-03-22
RECONCILES SERMON IN THE TESTIMONY
w. Young Asserts That Confusion Between Words nspra
ton and Revelation" is Responsible For Supposed
Variance.
10 Nc salt Lax Herald:

To The Salt Lake Herald:
In your issue of this morning you
say, editorially, referring to President
Joseph r Smiths testimony and ser
mon respecting revelations: 1.-The head
! of the Mormon church, testifying I'M
der oath. told the Smoot committee
one thing and now tells his own peo-
pie another, because some one in
! Washington was trying to trap him."
! J on further state that unless President
Smith can reconcile the apparently ir-
/ Teconcilable, he must remain impaled
on the horns Of a dilemma of his own
! creation
Let us investigate this matter in the
light of The record and free from pre-
vailing passion.
! The sermon delivered by President
Smith i'm the tabernacle last Sunday is
published in last evenings News. am
assured that the report was made from
/ the notes of d stenographer who was
present and that they remain un-
| changed This viii probably be con-
! coded, inaSmuCh as the report differs
very slightly from that published in
! the morning papers
| President Smith said:
! Now with reference to the principle
! and doctrine OF revelation, it may be
proper for me to say a few words on
! this subject while / am on my feet
! For me to say. which was the very end
| that my critics and my inqUisitors were
! endeavOring to get me to say, in order
that I might be led into that trap
/ which they had made for me, to say
! that God had given to me a revelation
| upon some new doctrine, or theory, or
principle. or precept, or anything to be
/ written, to be observed or handed down
as a guide to the church, would have
| been untrue. ] could not have said
| that. for he has not done this But
| has God revealed TO me his mind and
/ his will? Has he made manifest to
me Il knowledge of his truth by and
| through the spirit of revelation? Did
/ you ever hear of my denying that?
! No; no man has ever heard me deny
/ that"
Had Many Revelations.
| After making that statement, the
! speaker said that, upon being baptized
! God revealed TO him approval of the
/ act; that God revealed to him that
Joseph Smith was a prophet; that
divinely to the presidency of the
| church.; that John Taylor was an in
! spired prophet; that MILFORD Woodruff
! and Lorenzo Snow, in turn, lawfully
and divinely succeeded to the preSl-
! dency of the church; that the Lord had
revealed to him many things for his
own guidance to assist him in the dis
! charge Of his duties; and that he fer
ventiy believed that God had mani
! tested to him. in his present capacity,
many glorious things, many principles,
and oftentimes much more wisdom
| than is inherent in himself.
! The substance of the foregoing re-
/ marks may be fairly stated, 1 believe
| as follows: That God has not given him
! "A revelation upon some new doctrine,
| to be written, observed, or handed
| down s a guidance to the church; that
| God has made manifest to him a knOwl-
| edge of his truth by and through the
| spirit of revelation; and that the sew
| eraI and successive presidents of the
| church have been divinely and lawfully
| called to the presidency.
! Now, let us examine the proceedings
! before the senate committee to aScer-
| tain what he there said and claimed
| / shall not attempt to quote the teSti-
mouy in it's entirety, since that would
| make too great requisition upon your
! space; but shall content myself with
| stating the substance thereof citing
| the pages in order that my statements
| may be verified.
Doctrine of Revelation.
It appears on page IS Of the proceed
ings," that President Smiths attention
| was directed to a passage in the Doc
trine and Covenants, in which it is
! stated, THAT whatsoever you shall
speak when moved upon by the Holy
/ Ghost - shall be the will of the
| Lord the word of the Lord =
| and the power Of God unto salvation"
| In answer to Mr. Tayler's questions,
Mr.. Smith explained that the quotation
applied not only TO himself, but, with
! equal force, to every elder in the church.
/ Mr.. Tayler asked whether that applied
/ only when moved upon by the Holy
/ Ghost to which Mr.. Smith replied
| That is correct" Mr. Tayler further
asked: DO you understand that that
/ is intended to cover the case Of inSpira-
! ton or revelation" Mr. Smith, Yes"
1t was further explained by President
| Smith that revelations for the govern
/ ment and guidance of the church come
| only through the head of the church.
On page 80. the chairman of the COM
mittee asked, You have revelations,
! have you nOt2' To which Mr.. Smith
replied. Il have never pretended to nor
tons. 7 never said had a revelation
| except SO far as God has shown to me
/ that sO-calIed Mormonism is Gods di-
! vine truth; that is all"
| Then occurred the following ques-
lions and answers:
The Chairman-You say that was
shown TO you by GOd2
Nj. Smith-By inspiration.
/ The Chairman-HOw by inspiration:
! does il come in the shape Of A vision?
| MT. Smith-"The things of God know
! eth no man but the spirit OF God, and
/ cannot tell YOU any more than that I
/ received that knowledge ana that teS-
timouy by the spirit of God.
| Mr.. TayIer-YOu do not mean that YOU
| reached it by any process of reasoning
! or by any other method by which you
| reach other conclusions in your mind.
| do YOU
Mr. Smith-Well, I have reached
| principles. that is. I have been con-
! firmed in my acceptance and knOwI-
/ edge of principles that have been re-
| vealed 10 me. shown to me. on which I
| was ignorant before, by reason and
| facts
| on page 100 Mr.. Tayler asked wheth-
| CT Joseph Smith contended that always
| there was visible appearance of the
! Almighty or Of an angel. to which Mr..
| Smith replied that he did not Mr.
| TaylCT then asks. How otherwise did
! he claim To receive reVelationS2' MIR.
| Smith replied. BY the spirit of the
! Lord Mr.. Tayler then asked, "And in
| that way, such revelations as you have
! received, you have had them" Mr..
| Smith answered, Yes, sir
Senator Hoar's Inquiry.
| On page 314 of the record the follow
| ing colioquY occurred.
| Senator Hoar-I would like TO ask
one question which is fatty curiosity.
for this is a most interesting matter.