Show THE MARTYRDOM joseph and hyrum are slain it la Is fifty years today june 27 since this sad cad message was dispatched to nauvoo from carthage ill where the tragedy was waa enacted by which the prophet and patriarch were enrolled in the list of noble martyrs for truth and the infant church was left as many thought without a visible leader half a century to Is but a moment in history but it nas CBS been sufficient to prove to all open to conviction that the lifework of those men was directed by the omnipotent intelligence telli gence that rules the universe and that the results of their life and death will be manifested throughout time and eternity the causes that led to the mass ore aun an now DOW be weighed with more impartiality than sometimes has ham been the case 49 excitement local prejudices and personal preferences are among the obstacles that generally prevent a from perceiving the whole truth troth Butth but these eee lade fade away as time rolls on and only the facts remain to the view of the historian when we the life of the martyrs is oon con dered si I it la Is difficult to perceive why it should end as an it did were it not for the fact that according to the man righteousness so go often to is rewarded with martyrdom joseph the prophet proclaimed that he had an important message menage to deliver from the almighty he proved this by striving to promote the honor of god and the well being of his bis fellowmen fel in all he did and also by numerous miracles and nd mighty deeds such as accompanied the ministry of our abord and his apostles why should he be then incur the hatred of the world we may ask too why should the world thirst for the blood of J jesus saus of nazareth lazare tb who preached and exemplified the gospel of love the oases are in this respect parallel be fause joseph was a faithful servant of his divine master and the carthage massacre was waa in part a re repetition of the calvary tragedy at let n no reflect a moment prom from the time it became clear that jesus would join none of the existing sects sect of his time they all combined in influencing the people against him the pharisees Pharis ees and the sadducees Sadducee a neither would nor could lawfully take his life but they prepared a sentiment among the masea masses ses which made it possible for the jewish priests to plot his hie destruction the hatred was further intensified on the part dart of the leading ecclesta ecclesiastics mUce be cause he cleansed the temple prem uee and denounced the definers defilers de dei filers they were aroused to defend their unrighteous source oi 01 revenue and concluded to avenge themselves but they had to enlist the civil authorities to their aid and did so BO by inventing a charge of a political nature and thus it came about that the spotless lamb of god was slain blain condemned to death by an ecclesiastical tribunal for blasphemy and by a civil governor for treason although the judges themselves were convinced of his innocence and his only crime was a burning zeal for the glory of his father the history of the martyrdom we are now considering presents many similar features joseph was hated by the religious element whose errors he endeavored to correct in the name of the almighty the various exponents of that element kept up a constant agitation against him and succeeded finally in enlisting to their aid the political element on false re representations that the infant church was a menace to the state but neither sectarian fanatics nor political agitators tors were able to prove drove a single charge arai ost him and his noble brother their death however was decreed in the secret councils of the conspirators if the law could not reach them a deadly volley would consequently a lawless mob was brought together to do the work while those whose duty it was to guard their lives washed their hands bands in innocence like pon tius pilate and permitted the guiltless blood to stain the soil of liberty but there is another side to it the blood of the martyrs always has been the seed of the church the church of jesus christ of latter day saints batata is no exception to this rule probably it was necessary that the founders should be removed from earth arb as soon as their work was finished here in order that the church might speedily advance to the perfection which to la possible only as a result of perfect confidence and reliance on the almighty no doubt the presence pree enoe of these faithful servants of god was much needed on the other side of the veil in the celestial assemblies and the councils council of heaven it did not appear at the time as a blessing to the saints left behind to mourn the death of their leader briend and father but now it can partly be understood and hereafter it will be plainer still that the departure of joseph the prophet was the very thing needed deeded for the victory of the church it was the dark cloud full of untold blessings both for the living and the dead to betrue be true to the principles taught bythe by the martyred marty red prophets and ever rally round the standard of truth and liberty raised by them to is the highest tribute the latter day saints can pay to their memory it to is the road to t their toy air final exaltation and the victory on earth of the cause for which they lived and so ao bravely laid down their lives |