Show tabernacle SERVICES anne p m the afternoon was occupied by apostle F D richard who edified the congregation by a very instructive discourse on the troth of the gospel and the divine authenticity ot the mission nf smith the speaker commenced hy reading the chapter in st johns cevela tion where the passage occurs I saw an angel flying through the midat of heaven etc lie then pointed out the necessity of faith for the preaching and the reception of the gospel asking lor the prayer of the sainta present to afford the en of of truth after gave a highly aud narrative of hn recent travels through the eastern states where he had been especially anxious to visit the spots where this dispensation of the fullness of dines had been inaugurated gu rated he had ben upon the hill cumorah where joseph smith found the plates which he afterwards translated by aid of the arim and tham mini and tho inspiration of the almighty in referring to the old absurd spaulding story purporting to be a true history tit the origin of the book of mormon the speaker made mention of the fact that ns the latter was about worn thread ingenia ui fabrication as an to destroy the authenticity of this volume he the house in ter where the prophet josepa had received his first revelations and de ascribed scribed the deep feelings of revel mice and ave which animated him in that place no less sacred to him than jerusalem and are to the whole christian world all he saw and felt there confirmed his in the testimony of the truth of the gospel given by martin harris and the other early witnesses of the divine manifestations during his remarks he referred to a copy of the genuine manuscript of the book of mormon written after josephs own dictation existed in richmond missouri and that the portion of ahe bouse in which this holy record was kept had been miraculously preserved during the violent storms which created so much destruction in that city some time ago he then dilated on the sacredness of those places where the early church existed and exhorted th congregation to diligence faith and righteousness in all their ways |