| 461 "The fact that in joining the Mormons I was obliged to make a pretense of belief in their religion does not alter the case. That pretense was unavoidable in the part I was acting, and it should not be condemned like hypocrisy towards a Christian church. For so absurd are the doctrines of the Mormons that I regard them with no more reverence than I would the worship of Manitou or the Great Spirit of the Indians, and feel no more compunction at joining in the former than in the latter, to serve the same useful purpose."-Ibid., p. 9.
A man who will confess to such high-handed hypocrisy, and then say he has no compunction of conscience, is only worthy a passing historical notice, if so much
September 14, 1840, Joseph Smith, Sr., Patriarch of the whole church, died at Nauvoo, Illinois. He was born at Topsfield, Essex County, Massachusetts, on the 12th of July, 1771, and hence was sixty-nine years, two months, and two days old at the time of his death.
His son, Joseph the Prophet, stated of him: "After I and my brother Hyrum were thrown into the Missouri jails by the mob, he fled from under the exterminating order of Governor Lilburn W. Boggs, and made his escape to Quincy, Illinois, whence he removed to Commerce in the spring of 1839. The exposure he suffered brought on consumption, of which he died."
On his deathbed he pronounced blessings on his family, some of which are very peculiar. We invite attention to the promise made to William and Sophronia to live as long as they desired life. Each lived to a good old age and was reconciled to go. The promise of long life to Catharine is peculiar, as she yet lives, and as she attends the general gatherings often and bears faithful testimony, the hearer is reminded of the words: "Then shall she rise up and defend her cause."
In connection with the fact that Joseph's and William's children are identified with the Reorganization, while Hyrum's and Samuel's are in Utah, it is interesting to note that the children of the two former were to be blessed after them, while the children of the two latter are not mentioned.
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