| 54 of public discussion, because they know the truth and power of that side of the cause which they have espoused. They know that intemperance cannot survive the impartial observation of good men. All we ask is that the word of God may have free course. We wish that it may come distinctly to the knowledge of men that they may sit in impartial judgment upon it. By word of God we mean not only what was revealed for the ancients specially, but also what is now revealed for this generation. Oh, says the objector, he wants to have the word of Jo Smith have a free circulation, and this we oppose, because it is blasphemous and preposterous. Yes, we want the word of God by Joseph Smith, to be known and read of all men, because it is written not with ink, but the spirit of the living God. What were Peter, Elijah, or Moses, but earthen vessels by whom God communicated his own knowledge, and power, and glory. Does not the word by Joseph comment itself to every man's conscience where it is heard with due candor. I have never seen that person who had read the Book of Mormon and the Book of doctrine and Covenants entirely through, with an earnest desire to know whether it was of God or not, who could raise any worthy objection against them. A few isolated portions of these Books are often selected out and made to speak some other besides their true meaning, and thereby a dislike for these books is created, consequently some refuse to read them at all, while some others read only to confirm their preposessions [prepossessions] and prejudices. And superficial enquirers [inquirers] hear with credulity that such a minister, Editor or, Professor of some College, has published an expose or refutation of Mormonism that will inflict a fatal wound upon this glaring and blasphemous heresy.-Now it is well known that the novelties of this age are so many and various, that no man has time to examine into them all; and many consider that a hint from a pious Editor or distinguished Reviewer against, Mormonism is sufficient apology for them not to examine it. Now, under these considerations it is easy to divine that the doctrines of Latter-day Saints must travel through obstacles and difficulties of the greatest magnitude. And I am ready dear Br., to mourn over the prospect, because many bad men, and some good men will fight against the faith not knowing what they do. My bosom heaves with the deeper concern, because I know this to be the true gospel, and that it will prevail, even though the foe should be so great and powerful as the Lords enemies were in the days of Noah. Pardon my assurance when I say that those beautiful systems call benevolent operations, must come to nought [naught]; not because they are not honestly designed for some good effect, but because they are a mixture of human devise with the wisdom of God or the gospel perverted. I know too, that these beautiful systems, together with the various orders of sectarianism cannot well be vanquished without a desperate struggle ensues Sectarianism is old and venerable, and having undergone many costly repair without much substantial improvement; it can never be demolished without violent resistance. There is an air of sacredness around it that will stimulate its votaries insensibly. And when they are assailled [assailed] the strong hand of eternal bible truth, rather than to see their fortress taken by the illiterate followers of the despised prophet, will summon to their aid the worst passions and push matters to the greatest extremities. These remarks are amply supported by the history of the past, both in respect to former and Latter Day Saints. See the ancient Jew of our Lord's day-his piety was scrupulously exact. He knew the worth of his religion by the pains and expense it had cost him. Every thing had with great trouble been fashioned into a system of sacredness. They had been striving hard for a beautiful system of perfection that would commend them to God, and mourned that many of Abraham's children should teach that there was no resurection [resurrection] &c. and not harmonize with them in bearing heavy burdens in order to save men's souls; and when an obscure personage spring up, and broke over their rules of piety, and mingled with the profane without ceremoneous [ceremonious], and was seen to drink wine probably, and eat with the boisterous and odious classes of society, without pretending to wash away the contagion that accrued, and to travel on the sabbath day, and to pluck ears of corn without any signs of confession, and to heap harsh soundings and heavy anathemas [anathema's] the most intelligent and devoted men of the age, and claim to be a prophet, while he ignorantly conversed with an adulterous woman:-All this; the scrupulous Jew could not and would not bear; And his anger was heightened to madness when he found that many adhered to the new Teacher, and occasionally a person of wealth and standing was won over to the imposter [impostor] by his artifice and juglery [juggling]. And as the influence of this odious personage spread especially among the common people who had not sufficient sagacity to detect his fraudulent tricks; and as the orthodoxy and piety of the children of Abraham and Moses began to be suspected and even preached in synagogues that were too holy for such pollution, the devoted children of Abraham became exasperated if we
(page 54) |
