| Show A Dreadful Falsehood I Editors H raid On Thursday evening I attended service at > the JoEephito Mission Chapel in this city to hEar Alexander H Smith preach I had years ago conversed i with young Joseph and beard David Da-vid lecture or preach often hero so j 1 thought would bear Alexander that I might know the ability of the two broth resons of Joseph Smith I paid the fullest attention not losing los-ing H word Beseemed earnest and sincere ihoigh SprofouirJ nor particularly ma bodlcfl But I was dtterly astounded us he proceeded I in his discourse to hear hs bold and unwarranted assertion in regard to his brothers call to the Presidency Presi-dency of The Reorganizsd Church or work m which the brothers bro-thers are zealously engaged He propounded one question as coming com-ing from an objector often made he said Why did not young Joseph come to Utah where so many who beyed your fathers faith residen After some ads remarks re-marks he said lIly brother went to God and asked him what he should do He read that he must not take counsel of man but go direct di-rect to God who would give him wisdom He asked God with all fervency of heart and while doing so suddenly a great light brighter than the noonday sun shone around lira and the voice of Gcd said There is more truth around you where you stand This he repeated re-peated in nearly the same words during his talk I say I was as tounded to hear him eay sc Joseph his brother while in this clfy some years ago stated publicly that he never heard a voice from Gcd had no priesthood but what his father gave him and received no revela uons but those given to his father There were persons preent in the chapel on Thursday who heard him say BO in the public meeting in this cityThe The writer of this years Ego in the presence of witnesses one of whom is in this city besides himself now had nn interview with Joseph in the parlor of the Mansion Hoise in Nauvoo In courso of conversation conversa-tion this write remarked The body of people in Utah with Brigham Young declare that they have a claim on the attention of man in which salvation is concerned you ay you have a like claim as serious and important What authority have you to make thia claim V Your father said that he saw God and hear His voice Did you see Goa or hear His voice Tha candid answer was No I never heard the voice of God nor saw Him Did you see Jesus or have authority from Him Answered An-swered No Your fathersaid that he received visitations and authority author-ity from nn angel Did you hear or see one Again the candid answer No Did you ilun receive re-ceive an inkling of the spirit what may be said sn inward call ai some preachers say they have a very strong inuTessionV No was the reply re-ply Well then what did you receive re-ceive to make you assume the position po-sition yon take His reply was Well It was from a source that I am not at liberty at present to mention men-tion Imtgine then the feelings of this writer on hearing Alexander say boldly and unblushingly that his brother before assuming the headship head-ship ct the Reorgan zed Church saw a great light brighter than the noonday Bun and heard the voice of God I thought the day of voices and lights and hallucinations had passed that men are not to be caught with such claptrap but when I heard that unwarranted < assertion as-sertion that falsehood uttered before be-fore the little congregation on Thursday night I came away with greater disgust at all such impudent impu-dent testimonies Haw can men lie about holy things How take the name or God in vain V A man be excused for lying in jest he may be forgiven for ale in pushing a trade the trade being honest In itself he may be overlooked over-looked for teUng a yarn to excite wonder we may smile at white lies or a person may circulae false I i hoed unwittingly but to lie in the name of God utter falsehoods to promote cause calling Itself religious reli-gious to deceive the simpleunwary and confiding is not QuI unt ardon able bat should be punishable When I asked Joseph why ho did not go to Utah where so many of the same belief fundamentally reside re-side his reply wanIf Iw uld go thera they would kill mo1 I remarked re-marked that could not possibly be so as there are many thpre that revere your fathers memory and would respect his ton This was in December 1860 I have no desire to excite antagonism antagon-ism or to antagon I have no wis s to take away any comfort persons may take in adopting a belief that does not lead men into sin crime and treason even though lust belief teems to ma absurd but I conceive that it fs our dutv to expose fraud willful falsehood and religions imposture im-posture if Known to bl certain so I write the foregoing with no ma unions feeling but I do with pity and disgust VIITOU Salt Lake City Sep 121SS4 |
