Show PRESIDENT SMITHS LECTURE the first of a series of ton lectures leo turea to be delivered w weekly in the assembly hall under the sum of the Y AL M 1 I A was given in that building alst evening craning president joseph P F smith being the speaker Bp aker the lower body of the ball was crowded to its ita capacity while in the galleries gall erlei not a great many boats beats were left vacant elder heber J grant or of the Y M M 1 I A general pro pre aided and the ringing was wae furnished if by members of the tabernacle isbarn sele chair under the leadership of prof evan stephens after the usual preliminary prelim loary exer clees prayer being offered by elder bider francis M lyman the lecturer came forward and in a slow few 1 I remarks stated elated the title of hla his subject the origin of mormonism and the tory story of ef its if growth and development this was a subject said aid the mp eaker which opened up a vast field for reflection and rea remarks remar kB the term mor monism was waa a term applied to the Latt erday saints by the world and it had bad been adopted by the saints themselves the term had bad its iti origin because of the belief the saints saint had la in the book of mormon cormona Mor mona a work translated irom from gold fold plate by the prophet joseph smith under the direction of f heavenly Ken here president Preil dent smith read copiously from section botlon 20 of the doctrine and covenants Ceven anta la in relation to the rise rie of the me church slid and memo me of the history connected with the origin of the letter latter day work which said bald he be was bolter better told in the language of the revealed word than ban he could do it himself the speaker mid aid he read extensively train from the revelation quoted from bo be cones of its it bearing with the origin of mormonism and the nature ter of the work as a well an aa the demand made of those who embraced it it also alao gave mankind to go understand what wa was expected of them it gave them to understand that they were expected to embrace the gospel if they did not it told them what the would be the early life of the prophet joseph joaeph was next referred to he when but a mere boy 18 years of age began to 10 in vesti gate religion for himself hima elf but in his hie tender years yean he reasoned within himself why it was wag that the different oliu robea then existing were each claiming for themselves that they were the only true church 10 lo here and lo 10 there was the cry among them they were contending with each other and this contention BO 90 dumb founded the boy prop prophet hot that thag he know knew not which way to turn la in shim condition of mind be took the scriptures ta Is hand and began to peruse them bem when shortly be cams pon a caage 0 in the epistle of james which suited gilted hie bia condition exactly the passage ran thun barn salt 1 I SOY any man lack W wisdom lot let him ask of oed god who to all men liberally siad nd upbraid esh not and it hall be given hime him taij offer from the father sold th the speaker inspired the boy with a feeling that be of all persons certainly needed wisdom he wanted to affiliate himself with a church which church he knew not because became of the strife then exl eging the boy then ebeo mustered the courage to try the scriptural cri pt W 1102 and in his bla humble bumble a heart bear yearning for abe truth J one beautiful spring praag morning repaired to the woods to tc I 1 pray the lecturer hare bore read josephs joseph ye account of ef life bis first vision continuing president smith said bald that this was the first tep stop la in the he origin of Mormon 03 A were mere boy but fourteen years of age K the december father to show asked the Iro previous him hift which of the churches chur then ex was true ah that at he might join aln the right fight one he was waa answered anaw ered by a heavenly hea visits tl on of god the father and nd we ha boa the th s father introducing the trembling boy to hla him son BOD told hitt blin to listen to lo L that list which he had bad to say ay hla his remark 6 to joseph were that he ha should bould join none of them they wara all wrong they drew near der to lura film with their mouths but their bearta were removed dyed far from him they taught tor for doctrine the pro ante of men having baring a form of edU new but dented denied the power thereof was waa told to wait and ana in joseph jeph J eph thelta the LTd own due time he would 1 earth ike with all the gifts gift and an blowing abich followed its if believers bel levera anciently after abts r lim parting this thi anfor nation abe the boa bear bearably eBly left the hey boy to ponder and reflect over what een on and board beard with boyish tendencies olea joseph a hort cibort time afterward told ob a boston that be bad baff had a vision laughed at him and the be ides idea saying ayling that such a was from satan batan at the aanie time advising him to pay no attention Rt to it but the day boy was ra not so BO easily led be knew new be bad been the object of ef a tea heavenly veny visitation TUl tation and this knowledge could not be thrown aside aalde or eradicated from frem his bia memory memery there abere bershe fore ha remained arm and to the testimony of that which be had bad n and d board beard reiterating over and over again that he be had seen the rather and the SOD notwithstanding the be foot fact that the people at large aidt oiled and the idea and called the tha boy bey a knave and a fool president Preal dent smith then than took occasion to read from josephs account of hla hie vision vaaloa wherein an angel appeared unto him three successive times in one night and told him of the great work which he be was waa to be the instrument in the abe bands banda of the lord in restoring to earth again the angel a t this time told joseph to make known unto onto his bia father his bai second vision this thia same messenger meae enger continued the appeared unto we boy abe tb following day his appearance at this time was waa ned by the bay neglect in telling hie bla father of hla his leeond vision as commanded to by the ogel angel the boy did no not oars care to disclose the information to his hie father for fear that he be too toe along with the general P public bublic would disbelieve believe dla that whlor his hii son on testified to the gewenger wenger me again appeared to joseph however and reproved him for so BO disregarding disregards 09 we be instructions given him joseph then than told him father of ef his night nighta a ex perl peri enoe enos and his hia father blessed him for it this second gave ittis abe boy information COB corning the coming forth of the book of mormon abe book which was afterwards after warda translated by the prophet from froin the plates plate described to him in his hie boond second vision the speaker then read concerning the abe first farat visit of oliver cowdery to joseph smith after the latter had baa received the plates platea from which the book or of mormon was waa trana laed sed it was wai on april 15 1829 when oliver cow dory dery put auble in bia appearance joseph laid before mr cowdery his hia plans for the translation of the book of mormon and shortly afterwards after warda an angel appeared unto these parties and conferred upon them the aatonio priest hood the angel commanded them tu to go down into the waters of baptism im and in obedience to the command they went joseph joaeph baptizing oliver and oliver in turn baptizing joseph at the time of being visited by the angel the heavenly heave oly messenger mou enger informed them that bin bia name was wai joho john the same john referred to in the scriptures as ae john the baptist he at that time instructed them with regard to the translation of the book of mormon president Preil dext smith called attention to the testimony of the eight witnesses to the he divID Ity of the book of mormon he be cited the gifts and blowing bestowed upon the prophet and the church and spoke of the first into slon ionar aries iea sent out to preach the gos GOB pel its if introduction found the people of many countries before the death of the prophet joseph and aad after his in Cart carthage hago jail all the abe work continued to grow and nourish until today its ito adherents adhe renta numbered Bumb ered many thousands the tuo one case achieved on the balei of theses the aea was waa such nob as aa to bring many of ef those people into the abe church the plea pies of the gospel had also alao been heralded to the people of cormany to south gough america to china to france rumaie and many other dominions the persecutions of be batnia were then dwelt upon by the speaker who showed that they were driven from the town of nauvoo and the he state abate of missouri they were blessed exceedingly of the lord and prospered ed while their enemies perished peri ebed by the wayside the church was waa established upon abe earth for the last laet time and it would remain intact all efforts by the be enemy edemy to the contrary notwithstanding mobs and could wage war as aa they would god was waa at the helm belm of the abe latter day work anti and it would stand all the storms that the wicked could pour out against it its ite destiny was mapped out by the almighty aud and he would see to te it that his hi par purposes poses aea were carried out to the very letter the salute saints numbered hundreds hundred of thousands many of whom were will jag ing to go lay jay down their lives lire forth for th gospels sake ake while some ome were luk jake warm and could be very tory appropriately termed poor peer devils PI the gospel bad developed to a wonder la in the earth and it would to grow and flo flourish uriab until loaa people were houna reigning upon the earth filling the places plaoma now held by wicked and designing MOD men the speaker then announced that next week at the same lame time and place elder john nicholson would be the speaker his being are there here any insuperable difficulties to the acceptance of the facts fact irk in which mormonism nad bad its origin P the choir manir abir alozy and love lore to the men of old benediction was wae pronounced by elder george teasdale Te aidale |