Show I nOOK BOOK OF MORMON lOx EViDENCE I e c noticed the other cY n pUblished I lI to the tInt that the Latter Latteri i I da SaInt who demand proof for or the tho 1 r I claim n or of Dr Coe Cook k and refuse to accept It ft without ample evidence receive the thu thuI i Ok of Mormon Jormon wIthout shadow or orf I f Proof or evidence We Wc know not whether to n ascribe I nt to malice or to Ignorance t o mAtter It Is f II fall fair sample ot of the reckless for lor truth that char charI I I so man many n assailants of the Church Stud ts ot of the hook or of Mormon are aru i ins I ns ha careful In sitting evidence as are arc I ot of the Bible The They accept the tho I Book BOk of Mormon Monnon on evidence similar to that with which all students or of theolo Sip bY are ram familiar lilaI 1 There Is Ia th retrospective evidence n AncIent prophets predIct the establish merit ment In the last day or of a ne now era the But But It Is the peculiarity or of nil all new dispensations thy they be b by tho Almighty railing lIIn men to the 41 prophetic office and revealing truth through them to mankind This fact runs through the histories relating to Adam Noah Abraham Moses Sam Samuel lj uel John and many others othera so plainly 1 ns as not to oven een the mere mero casual 1 reader When therefore the tho Prophet Joseph announced that he c had been i called or of God to ct cry re repentance and proclaIm the conlIn comIns or of tIle the Son or of God r lUll the Millennium his message was wasas I as probable as that or of the shepherds or 01 the tho MagI nt at the tho coming Of br tI the 1 Messiah Inh It IL was In full rull harmony with the prophetic word It cannot be 00 sup suppo supposed po posed d that the Millennium was to como come as a thief by night or that the Lord at atHis l His second advent will como come unan unannounced unannounced Tha Scriptures a al l mIghty and marvelous work or prop 4 before the Such J the Prophet Joseph claimed he had been called to establish This Is In the ver very briefest outline the tho retrospective evl evI evIdence dence I 2 We 0 have havo also what has hns been call call n ed cd the pro prospective the o The tot tul of prophecy Is always s taken I ns a 0 proof or of the tho authenticity of the tho I Bible Prophecies In the Book ot of loor 1 i mon relating to this country and to tori ri the world In general as well as to the I coming of the Christ are arc equally equall valid tJI i proof as they hayo been or ar are be beinS beI I log inS fulfilled But ut he who rejects the I book nm may perhaps decline to consider these thee prophecies But nobody cnn can canti ti t claim to be an honest Inquirer and re refuse reI I fuse fuso to consider the prophecies s uttered I by the Prophet Joseph and their fulfil I meat It If ho he prophesied and his pro pre iii dictions came true ho was Wal a true rue 91 j prophet That Is indisputable Con Conf n f skier sider then his prophecy concerninG the thet t 1 Civil War given at a time wh when 1 a I Iii J conflict conOlet between en the states seemed ol 01 olI I f 1 1 1 most Impossible That prediction Is or of h II just as much value alue as evidence of f the theS j S 1 V I divine missIon or of Joseph CS as WAS the i iJ J I f prediction or of the destruction or of Jem I II I salem ot of the truth of the tho claims or of I our Lard to the Ho tl d other predictions that have proved l true He told the world tHat tile Church would fie flourish In the moun iI 1 0 I tins and that at a a time when whon the thet I C t destruction or of the Church ChUlCh se seemed med un I I lie foretold his death M at a aI I time when even his friends thought J 4 I him safe In the hands of the governor of a state who had pledged I t 1 t the faith or of the state for hIs sar safety t tI j Whence did ho he derive such kne knowledge I tI I 5 Whence CAme his marvelous prophetic r 1 I I gift gItt Ir if not from God Gd Joseph hau 1 bC been n vindicated all as a true pr phet and andr r Is so 50 being vindicated ever every day nIt nOlt 2 j I In a l dak corner but In tho open day t r II 4 1 tIght In the tho vet very top ot of the mountaIns I t In the sight or of all the world This Is IsI I r I the 1 11 4 I 3 There Is another class or of external I evidence otten direct It Is i based on the miracles Our Lord p per performed l 1 formed man mans miracles and gave IUs IUsI I II 11 I followers the power to do the same samo and this Is accepted as nn an eldene or of 1 11 i t his divine mission Men 30 saw hIs mighty il t i works and the they believed In Him Tho Prophet Joseph confirmed his mission I I In n a similar way Under the fl or of his hands hand the sick were I healed ovll ovil spirits were cast out and andI I I according to the of some someI I eye dead were raised 1111 i up Pr President Woodruff tells the lot tol nt lowing I t I On the tho morning or of the tho 2nd or of July Juh ui 1039 he Joseph arose aros reflecting upon Ullon t I the situation of the Saints of God Od in IJ J JI their persecutions t and afflIctions He I caned called upon the lord In prayer the I power of God r ted upon hull him mightily I a 1 ly and as Jesus heated all the sIck j around hIm In his lay day tO so Joseph the tho I I prophet of God heated alt all around 11 t I this occasion Ho healed all In hIs hist It t I house and dooryard then In com company pan with Sidney Rigdon nM and several or of the tho thoI I ll 11 twelve went ve t among O the sick e n nI on tl the bank of t the river e where ho corn cornI o I I 4 them In II a loud voIce In the thet If t r I name unnie or of Jesus JOSU Christ to rise and be beIt bep It p I made whole v and they were alt I healed lot I I ed II J When he had healed all 1 on the east side t t i or of the river that wore were sick he ha and his I l ti companions crossed the tho Us II river In n a ferrYboat to tho th west side HIde HIder sidel r l 0 where here we were Ivere at Montrose Tho I j first house they went Into was as 1 I Youngs He was sIck on hI bed at the time The Prophet went 1 into Inlo his house and healed hIm and they 1 went out together As they were passing by m my door I Brother Drother Joseph said Drother Wood Woodruff i ruff follow tollow me mc These were the only i words spoken b by an any or of the company I from the Ule time the they left Brother Brig BrigI I i 11 hams ms till they crossed the pub public lie lic square and entered Brother Ford Fordt t 11 t hams house Brother Fordham had been dying tor or nn an hour and wo we ex cx each minute would be his host hostI I 1 felt folt the SpIrit or of God that wits over overpowerIng overpowering powerIng the Prophet When wo we en entered hired tho house Brother Joseph walked up to Brother Fordham nd tOok him b by the rIght hand hIs left lert hand hold holdIng holding Ing hIs hot hat He Io soon w that Brother Drother eyes ces were glazed and that ho he was speechless and unconscious After Arter takIng his hand hond he looked down dawn Into the d dying mans face tace and sol said l Brother Fordham tie do you not know mo me At first there was wao no ro re pi ply but we all could see the effect or of orthe the SpIrit of God resting upon the of af man Joseph Josoph again spoke Elijah iio do you ou not kno know mo With Witha II a lo Ion whisper Brother Fordham an answered Ye Yc The Prophet then said Have Havo you not faIth to be healed The Tho which was a little plainer than thun before t fore was I 1 am afraid fral It Is too toolate toolate late It If you ou had come caine sooner r I think I ml might ht have been lie IIo hail had the tue RP ap appearance or of a i man mun waking from It was WIlS the Iho sleep of death Joseph then said ald Do you ou believe bellee that Jesus Is the tho Christ 1 do Brother was i I the response Then rhen tile the Prophet or of God spoke with n a loud voice olce as In tho majesty of Jehovah I corn com I Imand mand you ou In the name or of Jesus of Nazareth to orie nd lH be made whole The or of the Prophet were not net netlike like the words of nt man but like voIce olee of God It seemed to nie me that the house houle shook on Its foundation Elijah Fordham leal leaped ed from his boil beel like ilkI n a man raised from the dead A Ah h healthy color come clime to his lace face and life was manifested In every act PresIdent nt Woodruff says saR that FOId I ham after a hearty meal on bread and milk pUt on his hili clothes and amI lot fol followed lowed the tho brethren to visit others who sick Such were the manifesta manifestations of divine power that accompanied the ministry ot of the Prophet Joseph This Is direct evidence of his divIne mission on It is evidence against whIch the tho waves or of infidelity break In vain And Jt it Is proof of the claim thai thai thc tho Book Dook of Mormon was Wal brought forth b by the power of God that rested upon the Prophet 4 1 But this Is not all the tue direct evi evidence dence extant There Is the testimony ot of the tho three and the eIght who the tho plates from rom which the tho book boCk was translated and the angel and who testified to tills this CS as lonG ns as the they lived though some ot of them left leCt the Church Chuch Anyone who will examine their according to the tho rules governing the testimony or of witnesses In courts will find It unimpeachable This Is direct evidence of the tho most con convIncing kind But there thero I Is iso another class ot of evidence which we may call caU Internal It If the tho Book Dook or of Mormon Is not genuine and authentic It is 19 the most cunning work or of Rn an Impostor that over was upon credulity There Thero Is no escape from this Inference hc or of Mormon Is either of God or 01 orthe the work of II a who has turned his gigantic intellect t and learning to PurPoses of fraud Internal evidence deals with this question And It tidies to the lull full satisfaction or of the 1 humble seeker ecker alter truth the tho fact that tile tho contents of the book is its construe tion And the tho history of Is its publication exclude tile the or of fraud No Noman mat man could havo brought forth that bok book except God bo be wih with him ad and leot least of alt all the young boy prophet 1 Let t us remember that tho Bok Bokor Book or of teaches implicit faith In God holness holiness and virtue and that I It condemns sin In overy form form Lt Let Us also remember the tho character ot of the Prophet He was n a loving kind kind and In search for spiritual guidance As Ashe Astie tie he grow grew to manhood he developed the tho qualities wih with which lie he wo was endowed and became 3 a type or of the vcr very bt best AmerIcan citizenship It If you OU SIY say there thero therefore fore that Ohio tho Book Dook or of Moron Mormon Js is n a i i you OU s say that a god good man pray pra log for dIvIne guidance In al all things a loyal loal citizen n living a lire life of righteous righteousness DS ness and giving hI his life br or his test test mon mony wa was guit guilty of the most gIgantic deception of the age But that Is ab absurd absurd surd on the tho face ce or of it H Wat What brand ot of credulity c can accept tat that proposition as true truo Joseph wal was no deceIver I It he ha had been lie he would not net have had the tho confidence of his own household Nor ha had ho the tho quell necessary t to originate sch such I a book On Only a student conversant wih with history with archeology wih with Semitic languages with geography ancient laws end and customs ond and many other thIngs could ho have made mado an effort at composing such a work and then ho would hao tied felled as Is eler clear tom from the tho Spaulding manuscript The Prophet Joseph had no training no euc education to qualify him for such ouch a work oX except pt ptas as God Cod wa was wit with him and opened hi hl mind to tho pt past and the future 2 Remember furher further the character ot of the men and amid women who hao have tC tic Ills meae I It hl has been the tho testimony ot of unbIased writers that that the Saints Ints have been n sober virtuous Industrious ous diligent valuing light and intent genco more that any anythIng thin In the world wold Those who have havo known personally the noble men and women wh who tho pioneer pIoneers In Ill the tue Church know their and the they do know that they would no mOe more deceive or J their children than they would shied shed blood Thou lives was f to guarantee or of their integrity They were prayerful DId God deceive theta when they asked for light DId Ho He Hegle gle give them a stone stono for bread Te The lives or the first Christians aro always top ap paled pealed to as evidence or of the truth or of ChristianIty Lt Let be judged b by the tho same mo rule Their lives it Is an evidence of the tho Intrinsic of the tho Gospel for tor purposes or o holiness and righteousness II lii those who belo 1111 and practice It The world In out our age does not fur ur nish an any nobler examples or of sincerity and faithfulness than the history of the Church gives It If this c can be et t as aside then wo have havo to accept the or of al all miracles We Vo have to that nn an unlearned farmers bo boy del decided ed to change the religious thought or of the tho world to weave Into his own Ufo Ufe tl ful fulfilment ment of ancient prophecies to preach pur pure morality to endure suffer Ing logs and persecutIons and amid to Ck ask hla hi followers to do te the came ame and that ni mill this was n only d deception Tho enormity Iy ity or of that conclusion must o nn any anyone one who considers the tho class or of evidence whIch dence may b be called the tho moral tat evI evIdence 3 The Dok Book of Mormon oron bea bears It the or of Its genuineness I It corresponds wih with the best supported theories concerning the pt peat history or of thoS continents The pro proper r names l eta far as aa their cn can tso traced hOw their Semitic origin Witness for Instance a as a a t title ta for InKs or for lor or comps compass And there thero are uro ry ninny others Tho Th Prophet Joseph could not net written the bok book f This II Is ony only a ver very brier brief o of some Bomo of oC the evIdence or of the tho genuine n 81 or of the book Tile The strongest re remaIns remains maIns That Is the testimony or of to the Holy ho n tho lUt soul There here 11 is a promise that Ie ho who 1 do the tho wi will or of orthe the Father shall know whether the do dee trino is iN or of God or of man That Is a test lest that never rais falls Ad And by that test know just as wel well a as they know that the liver hat tho Bok Book or onnon was b by the power or of God anti that Joseph WI was a servant or of the Almighty And that evidence Is open to everyone who wi will seek seck for tor I It II iii humility and Difficulties there are In connection wih rith the hook Book ot of Mormon ormon as wih with the tho Bible But the originate generally In our own Ignorance wih with Dr Angus tile tho eminent English Bible scholar Philosophy cannot solve them dOt found In Ill time tha ble but ray pray rayer or er rind and healthy in departments of cf Christian life to which doubting does not hot extend can call or cr failing to solve them these thes remedies wi will teah teach us us to think less of oC thou heh importance antI and to walt patiently for stronger r light Ours Our OurIs Is a complex nature and amI the morbid ot or one par part of our frame may often bo be cured by the increased actIvity ot of another An irritable In faith th thIs Is a symptom or of deficient acton action else elJo elsewhere where and Is best curd cured b by a more constant attention to practical dut duty Difficulties whIch no Inquires c can 10 ic move wJ will often orten melt away amidst tho warmth love loe and vigor produced by active ThiS II lii ns as applicable to the difficulties wo we may meet In the Book Dook ot of Mormon ns as In the Bible They can ho be solved antI and wil I be solved a as our knowledge increases In the tho meantime they tr try our |