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Show er social service than la our church, that It Ideal are trior lofty than the Ideal of ours, then he would b jus tilled In asking u lo leave our organisation organ-isation and to join hln. 1 ahall try to quote from memory my old friend ami teacher, N. 1 Nelson:, "Mormon-loin "Mormon-loin la a growing tree In the shade of which the Mormon people seek rent, comfort and inspiration. The character charac-ter or ability of blm who planted tha tree la not a tent of lia worth or beauty." beau-ty." Tula tree to be uprooted! No, except It be to plant another more beautiful and more serviceable. Thin, were It possible, all Mormon "who are boneat aearcltera after truth." would help you, dear U In hop, to do. IMaut It, find It, then Invite ua to It ahade, and we will gladly come. OKNKVA CLOVEIIDALK. Fillmore, Utah. THE SPAULDINQ -INQUIRY" INTO MORMONI6M. A (rest deal of Intercut has been aioused throughout Utah by the publication pub-lication lust November of a pamphlet entitled "Joseph Smith, Jr., aa a Translator, An Inquiry Conducted by Rev. V. 8. Spalding. D.D., IlUhop or Utah. With the Kind Assistance of Capable Scholars." . Many able an-swera an-swera tin vo been made to this "Inquiry," "In-quiry," and these answers have been, perhaps, sufficient certainly they have been more numerous and aerloua than the worth of Bishop Spalding's argument deserves. I have not the purpose. In writing this short article, of adding to the already long list of replies to the Rt. Rev. lllhhop of Utah. Modesty would hardly permit the exercise ex-ercise of my poor abilities In such an attempt. However, ! trust that I ahall be pardoned by the readera of the Chronicle for attempting, at the re-queat re-queat of a friend, to explain thla much talked-of book by Bishop Spalding. The author takes for the subject of his Inquiry the question: "Was the Hook of Mormon translated correctly?" correct-ly?" To emphasize the importance of this question, he repeats It several times, and uses the following language: lan-guage: "It la aurely clear to the reader that the correctness of the translation of the Hook of Mornwn la a most aerloua question. It was the conviction that ho bad been selected by the Almighty to give to mankind this Hook, which won for Joseph Smith, Jr., the attention atten-tion of earnest men and gave him leadership over them. If the translation transla-tion of the plates Is Inaccurate he did mil dea-rvo that leadership. If he liook of Mormon, was not a correct cor-rect translation, and yet Joseph Smith thought that It came to him by Inspiration In-spiration and revelation Irom God, thoughtful men cannot be asked to accept ac-cept other revelations which Joneph Smith, Jr., asserted were also given to him by the Deity. Joseph Smith's competency as a translator of ancient languages can be ascertained In but one way. The original texts, together with bis Interpretations, must be submitted to competent scholars, and If they declare his translation to be correct, tbqn it must be accepted aa true. Such a test of the Hook of Mormon could be made today; because be-cause the Egyptian language Is readily read-ily translated by many scholar, but the plates are not available. Our purpose will be served equally well If the other translations 6f the prophet can be examined; and fortunately one of these translations, together with the original text, la available. We refer re-fer to 'The Hook of Abraham.' In the translation of the Egyptian helroglyphlcs, known as the 'Hook of Abraham,' we have Just the test we need of Joseph Smith's accuracy aa a tianslator. If, In the Judgment of competent scholars, this translation Is ccrrect, then the probabilities are all In favor of the correctneas of the Hook oi Mormon. If, however, the translation transla-tion of the 'Book of Abraham' Is incorrect, in-correct, then no thoughtful man ran be asked to accept the Hook of Mormon, Mor-mon, but, on the other hand, honesty will require him. with whatever personal per-sonal regret, to repudiate It, and the whole body of belief, which has been built upon It and upon tha reputation Ita publication gave to Its author," Tbls long quotation, taken here and there from his book, gives a fair statement state-ment of Hlsbop Spalding's position Following this preparatory argument are a number of letters from different scholars. Tbeea men, although they differ from each other la their explanations expla-nations of the cuta in the Hook of Abraham, are united lu calling Joseph gmlth'a explanations Incorrect. In substance, this la all of the Dish-op's Dish-op's book. The steps In his mental process are perfectly clear, and, briefly stated, are as follows: (1) "Competent scholars' disagree with Joseph Smith's explsnatlon of the II lustrations In the Hook of Abraham. This Is the only fsct submitted. On It are built the other steps, all of which are conclusions. (2) Therefore, Joseph Smith was wrong in his explanation of the lllustratlona. (3) Therefore, Joseph Jo-seph Smith did not translate the narrative nar-rative of the Book of Abraham correctly. cor-rectly. (4) Therefore, tha Book of Mormon was not translated correctly, (ft) Wherefore, Joseph Smith was misled mis-led In all of his revelations and doc-tMnea. doc-tMnea. (0) Therefore, the Mormon people ought "lo repudiate It .jnd the whole body of belief, which has been built upon It." We shall briefly examine ea h step l.i this process of destroying Mlpririon-Ism: Mlpririon-Ism: ' II) There I no question that the acholara whose Utters are aubmltted disagree with the explanations of the cuta In the Book of Abraham given by Joseph Smith. We are glad to get this Information and sincerely thank Bishop Spalding for obtaining it for us. We accept as proved that the "competent scholars" quoted pronounce pro-nounce Joseph Smith's explanations an "Impudent fraud," his cuts a "poor Imitation of Egyptian originals," and bis notes, "not to be taken seriously," etc. Is the author Justified In making the conclusion that he does from this fact? (2) Therefore Joseph Smith Is wrong. Why? Because the "competent "compe-tent scholars" disagree with him. Then It must fellow that each one of the scholars In turn Is wrong. because the rest disagree with him. The writer writ-er knows nothing of Egyptian and Is willing to accept authority In this matter, mat-ter, but for authority to be accepted aa conclusive, It ought at least to be uniform. It is hard to accept finally several authorities when they all give a somewhat different explanation of the same thing. Yet that Is exactly what Bishop Kpalding asks us, who are honest searchers alter truth, to do. It would have been Interesting bad he published the opinions of all "comietent scholars." I'erliHpx. had they all continued to disagree with each other, some might by accident have been betrayed into agreeing with Joseph Smith. We are not trying try-ing to show that Joseph Smith was right In .this particular matter, because be-cause we are not competent (o pass even a poor opinion concerning Egyptian Egyp-tian helroglyphlcs. We do. however, have the right to Inquire whether Bishop Spalding's process of reasoning Is sound enough to be accepted, especially espe-cially when so much depends tiion it Was Joseph Smith wrong In explaining explain-ing the Illustrations? We atlll feel, after reading Bishop Spalding's book, that the question Is not answered, but that It latlll open to further inquiry. (3-4-5) Having made this conclusion, conclu-sion, our reverend brother climbs In rapid succession from one conclusion to another. Therefore, be says, the entire Hook of Abraham Is wrong. On thla frail ladder he reaches the answer an-swer lo the basic question of the Inquiry; In-quiry; namely, "Was the Book of Mormon Mor-mon translated correctly?" He concludes con-cludes that It was not, because the Hook of Abraham was not, Jhecause the pictures In the latter were not, because be-cause certain ropipctent scholars who are not agreed among themselves say that these sere not. The above clum-ay clum-ay sentence Is not so confusing as the Bishop's hasty stumbling from one conclusion-to another. He seems to hold that Joseph Smith was either totally right or totally wrong. That If he made one mistake, everything he did was a mistake. Why not reverse the process and find some single thing that Joseph Smith said that was true and conclude that, therefore, all that he ever said waa true. Honor bright, Bishop, Is not the suspension bridge of the Imagination that you have built from your "competent scholars" to the Book of Mormon somewhat frail and rickety? (J) Lastly, therefore, the Mormon people ought to abandon their religion relig-ion to give up their faith. Why? Because, Be-cause, after five ' "therefore!," linked one upon another, and hitched to his "competent acholara," Blahop Spalding Spald-ing haa concluded that JosepU Smith waa not inspired of God In founding the Church. What would the Bishop have us do? Turn Pagan or infidel? He surely would not ask us to drop Mormonlsm and accept Episcopalian-lam Episcopalian-lam on the ground that maybe Joseph Smith was not Inspired lu founding the Mormon church, when Bishop Ppaldlng himself does not claim that hia church had a divinely -Inspired founder. Why, dear Brother Spalding, can't you aee that If all your conclusions conclu-sions were true, you have merely placed Mormonlsm on a level with your own church? Should we come over to you in a body we would for certain be In a church without a divinely di-vinely appointed founder. At most, your scholars might make ua doubt We still hsve a hope thst God Is at the helm. Would you have us give up a working chance for certain disaster? dis-aster? Finally, may we ask: la Bishop Spslding's test of Mormonlsm the right test? The character of the founder. It see mi to me. Is not the correct test of any social Institution. What good doea Mormonlsm do? Are the principles prin-ciples of Mormonlsm true? These ought to be the questions for aa Inquirer In-quirer Into Mormonlsm to address himself to. If the Mormon church performs bo uplifting service to Ita members, il It tracers a falsa moral code, then Bishop Spalding would be Justified In asking Ita members ip give ap their faith. Or If he raa show that bis church la performing a great- |