The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-05-16

w m Y W h1o Sc our lnapllltys 70
prove that these inspired predictions
lever came 70 pass. I'VE must confess
the plea Of the inidel against Scrip.
tpral propaecy; So iaf, at least, as
these passages; are concerned, For
neither in the Bible, nor in any pro;
fame history, have We any account Of
the tribe Of Joseph which shows that
1t surpassed either Of the other tribes
in amy way. Indeed, SO far as the 81:
BILE Is concerned, We might well sur.
mise that Joseph's was the least OF all
the tribes.
But In a manner that Is grand and
glorious, the Book Of Mormon vlndi.
Gates the Old Testament, SO far as
proving the fulfllment Of some Of !ts
greatest prophecies Could tend 10 that
result. In this wonderful record Ia
clearly shown how the Lord brought
TO pass on the house Of Joseph all the
blessings that had been made upon
his head by the authority of the ~.
mighty and the spirit OF prophecy. L.
tells OF the beauties and riches Of the
land that was given 10 his descendants
TO be their home, and how they grew
In numbers. power and glory. and how
the Savior appeared among them anl
established His church in their midst
after His resurrection. Mr.. Moore meg
speak contemptuously Of the Book Of
Mormon as a ''low.tlown literary pro.
duction and palpable fraud" but lev.
down denunciations will never change
the fact that, with the possible excep.
ton OF the Bible, 1t is the most won.
derinl book In existence. ana the most
difficult 10 account for one the basis OF
n human origin.
Mr.. Moore refers to Ezsk. 1879, rs
follows:
THE word Of the Lord came again
unto me saying,
Moreover, thou son Of man, take
thee one stick. and write upon II. For
Judah, and for the children OF Israel
his companions; then take another
stick and write upon 1t, For Joseph
the stick of Ephriam. and for all the
house Of Israel his companions:
"And join them one TO another into
one stick; and they shall be one in
thine hand.
"And when the children OF Thy PED
pie shall speak unto thee, saying, Wit
thou not show us what thou meanesl
by these.
"Say unto them. Thus saith The Lord
God; Behold, ] will take the stick OF
Joseph. which is In the hand OF Eph.
rain, and the tribes Of Israel his fel.
lows, and will put them with him, even
with the stick Of judah, and make
them one stick, and they shall be one
in mine hand"
The rest OF the chapter predicts
that God will gather lsreal TO their
own land, and redeem and save them.
lThe Latterday Saints understand that
the word stick" as used in the pas.
sages above quoted, denotes n scroll
or parchment which. when written
upon, was rolled up IN n wooden cen
ter or stick: and that the English
word book" Is an equivalent for =,
land they interpret this passage 10
mean that two books should be writ
ten. one for Judah and one for Joseph
and Ephraim: and that The Lord, In
His own time and way, would join
'hese two books together and make
one book Of them. The Latterday
Saints believe that the Bible Is the
stick or book Of Judah, because It was
written by and gives an account OF
the tribe of Judah; and that the Book
OF Mormon Is the stick or book OF 10.
Iseph and Ephraim. because It was
written by and gives an account Of
their posterlty.
Mr.. Moore says: "The two sticks
represent iwo nations into which the
children OF Israel had been divided
not two books. And the coming TO-.
gether Of the two sticks represents the
coming together into one nation Of
he two branches OF the children Of
Tsrael-not the coming together Of
two books. the Bible and the Book OF
Mormon" ....
Mr.. Moore has come nearer the
truth than he intended. II he will adj.
nit that the Lord gave to each Of these
two Israelltish nations n scripturul rec.
ord We will not care 10 dispute with
him we believe that the Joining Of the
two sticks or books will be followed
by the joining Of the two nations. By
the way, Mr.. Moore, please describe
for lis both Of these nations who arc
branches Of the house Of Israel, and
tell us where they have heretofore
lived, and can now be found. You can.
not? Any mormon" schOolboy knoHs