Joseph Smith: Mormon Prophet

We all admire people who stand up for what they believe, even in the worst of circumstances. We all remember Jeff Widener’s AP photo of the lone man standing in front of the four tanks rolling onto Tiananmen Square in 1989. This one man was clearly overwhelmed, out-armored, and outgunned. Yet he held his ground, inspiring millions.

This reminds me of an incident in the life of Joseph Smith, the founding prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, known as the Mormons.

In October, 1838, Missouri Governor Lilburn W. Boggs issued Executive Order 44, now known as the Extermination Order, to General John B. Clark. This order, in part, read as follows:

“Sir:—Since the order of the morning to you, directing you to cause four hundred mounted men to be raised within your division, I have received by Amos Rees, Esq. and Wiley E. Williams Esq., one of my aids, information of the most appalling character, which changes the whole face of things, and places the Mormons in the attitude of an open and avowed defiance of the laws, and of having made open war upon the people of this state.”

“Your orders are, therefore, to hasten your operations and endeavor to reach Richmond, in Ray County, with all possible speed. The Mormons must be treated as enemies, and must be exterminated or driven from the state, if necessary, for the public good. Their outrages are beyond all description.”

If you can increase your force, you are authorized to do so to any extent you may think necessary. … You will proceed immediately to Richmond, and there operate against the Mormons.” (Executive Order 44, emphasis added.)

In the process of events, Joseph Smith was captured by the militia, and held in Richmond Jail to await trial. Parley P. Pratt, an apostle in the Church, was with Joseph Smith during his imprisonment. In his autobiography, he told of Joseph Smith standing up to abusing guards, exhibiting the power of one.

Here are Parley P. Pratt’s words:

“In one of those tedious nights we had lain as if in sleep till the hour of midnight had passed, and our ears and hearts had been pained, while we had listened for hours to the obscene jests, the horrid oaths, the dreadful blasphemies and filthy language of our guards, Colonel Price at their head, as they recounted to each other their deeds of rapine, murder, robbery, etc., which they had committed among the ‘Mormons’ while at Far West and vicinity. They even boasted of defiling by force wives, daughters and virgins, and of shooting or dashing out the brains of men, women and children.”

“I had listened till I became so disgusted, shocked, horrified, and so filled with the spirit of indignant justice that I could scarcely refrain from rising upon my feet and rebuking the guards; but had said nothing to Joseph, or any one else, although I lay next to him and knew he was awake.”

Pratt had a gift for prose. You can feel the damp walls and the palpable darkness in his words. The guard’s trash-talk stings you now just as it stung Smith and Pratt 170 years ago.

So the guards had Joseph Smith in custody, but that was not enough. They had to brag about their atrocities and hate crimes against the Latter-day Saints. However, the prisoners as prisoners were powerless to do anything about the verbal abuse.

But Joseph Smith was not really a prisoner. Parley P. Pratt explains what happened next:

“On a sudden he [Joseph Smith] arose to his feet, and spoke in a voice of thunder, as the roaring lion, uttering, as near as I can recollect, the following words:

“‘SILENCE, ye fiends of the infernal pit. In the name of Jesus Christ I rebuke you, and command you to be still; I will not live another minute and bear such language. Cease such talk, or you or I die THIS INSTANT!’”

There is a saying that goes "if you have nothing to lose, then go for broke." But I’m not sure if gambling was on Joseph Smith’s mind. He always believed that the Lord would protect him: “God will always protect me until my mission is fulfilled” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 365). This belief gave him the faith to speak truth to power.

Whatever his thought-process was, he stood his ground. Again, picture this in your mind. Joseph Smith was worn out from his time in jail. He had been wearing the same clothes for several weeks. I imagine that he was unshaved and haggard form the ordeal, and a tad bit stir-crazy.

On top of that he was the Lord’s prophet. Every person who was abused, looted, raped, or murdered was his responsibility. They depended upon him for guidance, and here he was pinned-down in a stinking cell. He was powerless.

And then he had to endure the taunting guards reliving their sadism.

We think of Christ before Pilate and the Sanhedrin, or Paul before Agrippa. Like them, Joseph Smith took the initiative and drew a hard line against these obscene guards. He made his voice heard.

Parley P. Pratt continues:

“He ceased to speak. He stood erect in terrible majesty. Chained, and without a weapon; calm, unruffled and dignified as an angel, he looked upon the quailing guards, whose weapons were lowered or dropped to the ground; whose knees smote together, and who, shrinking into a corner, or crouching at his feet, begged his pardon, and remained quiet till a change of guards.”

That is the power of one. Be it standing up to tanks in Tiananmen Square, or rebuking obscene jailors, we must stand tall for what is right, regardless of the consequences.

Of course standing up for the right can be frightening. Some people believe that public speaking is scarier than death. If that is true, standing up for the right must require an extraordinary amount of courage. If anything, Joseph Smith’s example should encourage, even empower us to speak up.

And notice the guard's reaction: they fell back into a corner, like the cowards they were. Keep that in mind the next time you must take a stand for the right and the good. Your opponent (and all opponents are potential allies) may just be bluffing. Shakespeare spoke of “sound and fury, signifying nothing” (Macbeth V.5.32). Have the courage to call someone’s bluff, get past the bluster, and speak the truth—even when you are afraid.

This encounter also suggests this question: Who were the real prisoners? Joseph Smith in irons or the vulgar guards? Jesus Christ said, “Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin” (John 8:34). The vainglorious guards were guilty of atrocities and hate crimes, and Governor Boggs’s Extermination Order was an affront to the spirit and intent of America, and a violation of Constitutional liberties. Yet, according to Christ, Joseph Smith was free as a bird, and the perpetrators were the ones in stocks. Worse than physical bondage is spiritual bondage.

Whatever your personal faith is, Joseph Smith was no less a hero than the apostle Paul, Martin Luther King, Boethius, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Henry David Thoreau, or Gandhi. They were all prisoners of hope, and had the courage to stand firm in the face of abusing power.

Parley P. Pratt summed his reaction to Joseph Smith’s rebuke this way:

“I have seen the ministers of justice, clothed in magisterial robes, and criminals arraigned before them, while life was suspended on a breath, in the courts of England; I have witnessed a Congress in solemn session to give laws to nations; I have tried to conceive of kings, of royal courts, of thrones and crowns; and of emperors assembled to decide the fate of kingdoms; but dignity and majesty have I seen but once, as it stood in chains, at midnight, in a dungeon in an obscure village of Missouri.” (Parley Pratt Autobiography, 179-180.)

Joseph Smith has inspired me over the years. This event, in particular, was one of his finest moments. He drew a hard line, took a stand, and spoke up for the right. He exhibited in a marvelous way the power of one.

Wrong is wrong and right is right. When we are put in dilemmas, we need to stand up for the right, just like Joseph Smith. Even if we stand alone.

This year members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (known as the Mormons) are studying the life and teachings of the Church’s founding prophet Joseph Smith. One lesson is on the Wentworth Letter, an important document for Latter-day Saints.

Joseph Smith explained its origin:

“At the request of Mr. John Wentworth, Editor and Proprietor of the Chicago Democrat, I have written the following sketch of the rise, progress, persecution, and faith of the Latter-day Saints, of which I have the honor, under God, of being the founder. Mr. Wentworth says that he wishes to furnish Mr. [George] Barstow, a friend of his, who is writing the history of New Hampshire, with this document. As Mr. Barstow has taken the proper steps to obtain correct information, all that I shall ask at his hands, is, that he publish the account entire, ungarnished, and without misrepresentation." (“Chapter 38: The Wentworth Letter,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, [2007], 435–47.)

This is not a long letter, but it carries quite a punch. It is a priceless thumbnail-sketch of its history, and is an essential source of key doctrines of the Church’s faith.

If a person wanted a bare-bones explanation about the Church, I would give them a copy of this letter along with the Family Proclamation and a copy of the Living Christ Proclamation. All three of these documents give a basic understating of the nature of the Church.

THE OUTLINE

The letter can be broken down in six parts: The First Vision, The Book of Mormon, the Organization of the Church, the Persecution of the Saints, Nauvoo—the Beautiful, the Standard of Truth, and the Articles of Faith. In this blog I will present several selections from the letter. To read a full transcript of the letter, click HERE.

Although this letter was never published by Wentworth or Barstow, it was published in the local Nauvoo newspaper Times and Seasons. Two years later a similar letter (with slight variations) was published by Daniel Rupp in 1844.

THE FIRST VISION

All things Joseph Smith begin with the First Vision. In his own words here is what happened:

When about fourteen years of age, I began to reflect upon the importance of being prepared for a future state, and upon inquiring [about] the plan of salvation, I found that there was a great clash in religious sentiment; if I went to one society they referred me to one plan, and another to another; each one pointing to his own particular creed as the summum bonum of perfection. Considering that all could not be right, and that God could not be the author of so much confusion, I determined to investigate the subject more fully, believing that if God had a Church it would not be split up into factions, and that if He taught one society to worship one way, and administer in one set of ordinances, He would not teach another, principles which were diametrically opposed.

“Believing the word of God, I had confidence in the declaration of James—‘If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.’ [James 1:5.] I retired to a secret place in a grove, and began to call upon the Lord; while fervently engaged in supplication, my mind was taken away from the objects with which I was surrounded, and I was enwrapped in a heavenly vision, and saw two glorious personages, who exactly resembled each other in features and likeness, surrounded with a brilliant light which eclipsed the sun at noon day. They told me that all religious denominations were believing in incorrect doctrines, and that none of them was acknowledged of God as His Church and kingdom: and I was expressly commanded ‘to go not after them,’ at the same time receiving a promise that the fullness of the Gospel should at some future time be made known unto me.

I appreciate this unvarnished, straightforward telling of what happened. For me, the simplicity of the story is everything. It has the ring of truth.

Due to constraints of space, however, this telling does not have all of the details of what happened in the vision. Joseph Smith’s 1832 History included more details that were left out, and his official Church History of 1838 provides more context to the event.

THE BOOK OF MORMON

Three years after this marvelous vision, Joseph Smith had a second. He was up late one evening praying. While he was having this spiritual wrestle, Joseph Smith had a visit from an angel:

“On the evening of the 21st of September, A. D. 1823, while I was praying unto God, and endeavoring to exercise faith in the precious promises of Scripture, on a sudden a light like that of day, only of a far purer and more glorious appearance and brightness, burst into the room; indeed the first sight was as though the house was filled with consuming fire; the appearance produced a shock that affected the whole body; in a moment a personage stood before me surrounded with a glory yet greater than that with which I was already surrounded. This messenger proclaimed himself to be an angel of God, sent to bring the joyful tidings that the covenant which God made with ancient Israel was at hand to be fulfilled, that the preparatory work for the second coming of the Messiah was speedily to commence, that the time was at hand for the Gospel in all its fullness to be preached in power, unto all nations that a people might be prepared for the Millennial reign. I was informed that I was chosen to be an instrument in the hands of God to bring about some of His purposes in this glorious dispensation.

“I was also informed concerning the aboriginal inhabitants of this country and shown who they were, and from whence they came; a brief sketch of their origin, progress, civilization, laws, governments, of their righteousness and iniquity, and the blessings of God being finally withdrawn from them as a people, was made known unto me; I was also told where were deposited some plates on which were engraven an abridgment of the records of the ancient Prophets that had existed on this continent. The angel appeared to me three times the same night and unfolded the same things. After having received many visits from the angels of God unfolding the majesty and glory of the events that should transpire in the last days, on the morning of the 22nd of September, A. D. 1827, the angel of the Lord delivered the records into my hands. ...

This is the origin of The Book of Mormon, which Latter-day Saints consider to be scripture. Joseph Smith summed up the message of the book this way:

“… This book … tells us that our Savior made His appearance upon this continent after His resurrection; that He planted the Gospel here in all its fulness, and richness, and power, and blessing; that they had Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, Teachers, and Evangelists, the same order, the same priesthood, the same ordinances, gifts, powers, and blessings, as were enjoyed on the eastern continent; that the people were cut off in consequence of their transgressions; that the last of their prophets who existed among them was commanded to write an abridgment of their prophecies, history, etc., and to hide it up in the earth, and that it should come forth and be united with the Bible for the accomplishment of the purposes of God in the last days. For a more particular account I would refer to the Book of Mormon …

I have read The Book of Mormon many times. I am strengthened by its teachings about the Savior and His sacrifice. I am glad that Joseph Smith was called to translate and to publish this book so that we all could benefit by this additional testament.

THE ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH

These visions, the angel, and the new scripture, however, were not enough. There needed to be structure. Joseph Smith was a champion of organized religion. Consequently he organized the small group of believers into a church.

Here are the details:

“On the 6th of April, 1830, the ‘Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ was first organized in the town of Fayette, Seneca county, state of New York. Some few were called and ordained by the Spirit of revelation and prophecy, and began to preach as the Spirit gave them utterance, and though weak, yet were they strengthened by the power of God, and many were brought to repentance, were immersed in the water, and were filled with the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. They saw visions and prophesied, devils were cast out, and the sick healed by the laying on of hands.

The last sentence explains why there needed to be organized believers: theses miracles and gifts of the Spirit serve to strengthen members in their daily battle to do good. We have our friendships at work, old college buddies or classmates, and professional and political associations. But there is something special, and subtly different, being with fellow believers.

You both are on the same page in regards to values, ethics, and doctrine. You can talk about spiritual and sacred things that you could not with your casual carpool comrades. Additionally, this spiritual dimension enhances—even lubricates—the day to day grind we have to endure. It gives an overarching meaning to the trivialities of the day.

THE PERSECUTIONS OF THE SAINTS

Once formally organized, the activities of the Church took off. As people were baptized, the new members gathered in several cities:

From that time the work rolled forth with astonishing rapidity, and churches were soon formed in the states of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri; in the last named state a considerable settlement was formed in Jackson county: numbers joined the Church and we were increasing rapidly; we made large purchases of land, our farms teemed with plenty, and peace and happiness were enjoyed in our domestic circle, and throughout our neighborhood; but as we could not associate with our neighbors (who were, many of them, of the basest of men, and had fled from the face of civilized society, to the frontier country to escape the hand of justice,) in their midnight revels, their Sabbath breaking, horse racing and gambling; they commenced at first to ridicule, then to persecute, and finally an organized mob assembled and burned our houses, tarred and feathered and whipped many of our brethren, and finally, contrary to law, justice and humanity, drove them from their habitations; who, houseless and homeless, had to wander on the bleak prairies till the children left the tracks of their blood on the prairie. This took place in the month of November, and they had no other covering but the canopy of heaven, in this inclement season of the year; this proceeding was winked at by the government, and although we had warranty deeds for our land, and had violated no law, we could obtain no redress.

“There were many sick, who were thus inhumanly driven from their houses, and had to endure all this abuse and to seek homes where they could be found. The result was, that a great many of them being deprived of the comforts of life, and the necessary attendances, died; many children were left orphans, wives [were left] widows, and husbands, widowers; our farms were taken possession of by the mob, many thousands of cattle, sheep, horses and hogs were taken, and our household goods, store goods, and printing press and type were broken, taken, or otherwise destroyed.

Persecution is a leitmotif that runs throughout Church history. For some reason members of the Church and the rest of the population did not mix. As Joseph Smith pointed out, there was a clash of culture. The Latter-day Saints were cultured and temperate yeoman farmers, while the locals were frontier riffraff and rabble. Whatever the cause of the friction, it was real, and the facts must be told:

“Many of our brethren removed to Clay county, where they continued until 1836 …

“We next settled in Caldwell and Daviess counties, where we made large and extensive settlements, thinking to free ourselves from the power of oppression, by settling in new counties, with very few inhabitants in them; but here we were not allowed to live in peace, but in 1838 we were again attacked by mobs, an exterminating order was issued by Governor Boggs, and under the sanction of law, an organized banditti ranged through the country, robbed us of our cattle, sheep, hogs, etc., many of our people were murdered in cold blood, the chastity of our women was violated, and we were forced to sign away our property at the point of the sword; and after enduring every indignity that could be heaped upon us by an inhuman, ungodly band of marauders, from twelve to fifteen thousand souls, men, women, and children, were driven from their own firesides, and from lands to which they had warranty deeds, houseless, friendless, and homeless (in the depths of winter) to wander as exiles on the earth, or to seek an asylum in a more genial clime, and among a less barbarous people. Many sickened and died in consequence of the cold and hardships they had to endure; many wives were left widows, and children [were left] orphans, and destitute. It would take more time than is allotted me here to describe the injustice, the wrongs, the murders, the bloodshed, the theft, misery and woe that have been caused by the barbarous, inhuman, and lawless proceedings of the state of Missouri.

This passage needs no commentary. It is straightforward, and the facts speak for themselves. The members gathered in towns to worship as they saw fit. But they were always run out. Complicit with the crimes were various government officials. To paraphrase The Declaration of Independence, their repeated petitions for justice were answered only by repeated injury.

Eventually, the body of believers relocated to Nauvoo, Illinois, where they found a measure of stability for five years.

NAUVOO—THE BEAUTIFUL

The Rupp Letter (the parallel document to the Wentworth Letter) fills in some of the details of life in Nauvoo:

After being thus inhumanely expelled by the government and people from Missouri, we found an asylum and friends in the state of Illinois. Here, in the fall of 1839, we commenced a city called Nauvoo, in Hancock County, which in December, 1840, received an act of incorporation from the legislature of Illinois, and is endowed with as liberal powers as any city in the United States. Nauvoo, in every respect, connected with increase and prosperity, has exceeded the most sanguine expectations of thousands. It now contains near 1,500 houses, and more than 15,000 inhabitants. The charter contains, amongst its important powers, privileges, or immunities, a grant for the "University of Nauvoo," with the same liberal powers of the city, where all the arts and sciences will grow with the growth, and strengthen the strength of this beloved city of the "Saints of the last days." Another very commendatory provision of the charter is, that that portion of the citizens subject to military duty are organized into a body of independent military men, styled the "Nauvoo Legion," whose highest officer holds the rank, and is commissioned lieutenant-general. This legion, like other independent bodies of troops in this republican government, is at the disposal of the governor of this state, and President of the United States. There is also an act of incorporation for an agricultural and manufacturing association, as well as the Nauvoo House Association.

The temple of God, now in the course of erection, being already raised one story, and which is 120 feet by 80 feet, of stone, with polished pilasters, of an entire new order of architecture, will be a splendid house for the worship of God, as well as an unique wonder for the world, it being built by the direct revelation of Jesus Christ for the salvation of the living and the dead. Since the organization of this church its progress has been rapid, and its gain in numbers regular. Besides these United States, where nearly every place of notoriety has heard the glad tidings of the gospel of the Son of God, England, Ireland, and Scotland, have shared largely in the fullness of the everlasting gospel, and thousands have already gathered with their kindred Saints, to this the cornerstone of Zion. Missionaries of this Church have gone to the East Indies, to Australia, Germany, Constantinople, Egypt, Palestine, the Islands of the Pacific, and are now preparing to open the door in the extensive dominions of Russia. There are no correct data by which the exact number of members composing this now extensive, and still extending, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can be known. Should it be supposed at 150,000, it might still be short of the truth.

These two paragraphs show what happens when members of the Church are left alone to practice their religion. They were busy doing good. It is no surprise that Brigham Young, Joseph Smith’s successor as prophet, gave Utah the state motto of “Industry.”

If you move into a community with a lot of Latter-day Saints, this is what you will get: well-kept yards, a vibrant social life, emphasis on education, activity in politics and in the military, and a desire to life the good life. That is what we are all about.

THE STANDARD OF TRUTH

Near the end of the letter, Joseph Smith summed up the missionary, or evangelization work of the Church, this way:

Our missionaries are going forth to different nations, and in Germany, Palestine, New Holland [Australia], the East Indies, and other places, the Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done

I was part of this missionary endeavor. I served a mission for two years in Portugal, and every week we would recite this passage, now known as the Standard of Truth.

Missionary work is hard. You get sent to different areas—I was in Portugal, my brothers served in Texas and New Jersey, my dad in Nashville, my great-grandfather in Denmark—and sometimes you have to learn a new language.

Once in the Mission Field, you spend all day, every day, talking with people about your faith. Some people were indifferent, some we decent and gave us a fair haring, and sometimes we could actually connect. Of course this is all done on a one-on-one level (“one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion” [Jeremiah 3:14]). We did not have the large arena revivals and mega-churches. It was plodding work at times.

But through it all, this passage buoyed me up and reminded me of the real nature of the work I was doing.

THE ARTICLES OF FAITH

The letter ends with a summery of the key doctrines of the Church:

“We believe in God the eternal Father, and in His Son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.

“We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression.

“We believe that through the atonement of Christ all mankind may be saved by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.

“We believe that the first principle and ordinances of the Gospel are: (1) Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; (2) Repentance; (3) Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; (4) Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.

“We believe that a man must be called of God by prophecy and by the laying on of hands, by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.

“We believe in the same organization that existed in the primitive Church, viz.: apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, etc.

“We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, etc.

“We believe the Bible to be the word of God, as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.

“We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

“We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion will be built upon this [the American] continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.

“We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.

“We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.

“We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul, We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report, or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.

That is the brass-tacks of what we believe. Of course, it is not a complete listing of everything, down to the smallest jot, tittle, and iota. But it does answer any doctrinal question, in a broad and general way.

Of these articles, the historian and Church leader B. H. Roberts observed:

These Articles of Faith were not Produced by the labored efforts and harmonized contentions of scholastics, but were struck off by one inspired mind at a single effort to make a declaration of that which is most assuredly believed by the church, for one making earnest inquiry shout the truth. The combined directness, perspicuity, simplicity and comprehensiveness of this statement of the principles of our religion may be relied upon as strong evidence of a divine inspiration resting upon the Prophet, Joseph Smith. (History of the Church 4:535n.)

There is a logical sequence to the articles: the nature of the Godhead, our denial of Original Sin, the nature of the Atonement, then Church Organization and the character of scripture and revelation. These articles end with a nice boilerplate statement of the Christian Life in general: “If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report, or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.”

As you get to know your Latter-day Saint friends, I hope you see these Articles of Faith in practice. We are not perfect, but we try. We are striving towards our ideals. And we do have a framework wherein we can measure progress.

CONCLUSION

I honestly cannot remember the first time I read the Wentworth Letter. However, I love rereading this document. I think it touches upon the key points of my faith—the existence of God, the reality of the Atonement, the importance of The Book of Mormon, the persecutions of the Saints, and the ultimate triumph of truth. And the bullet-points of belief have helped me in my gospel study.

Really, if anyone wonders what makes us tick, this Wentworth Letter, in very plain language, answers the question.

I am fascinated by Joseph Smith, the first prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, known as the Mormons. Of course for me, he was the paramount spiritual leader, second only to Jesus Christ. And he accomplished much, all before forty years of age. Yet, throughout his life, Joseph Smith was constantly persecuted. This, I think, serves as a gauge of his greatness.

As Albert Einstein said:

Great spirits have always found violent opposition from mediocrities. The latter cannot understand it when a man does not thoughtlessly submit to hereditary prejudices, but honestly and courageously uses his intelligence and fulfills the duty to express the results of his thought in clear form. (Quoted in New York Times, March 19, 1940.)

One story from Joseph Smith’s youth always tugs at my heartstrings. When he was a preteen (we do not know the exact date, possibly about seven years old), Joseph Smith contracted typhoid fever. It was so severe that his left leg became infected.

A Dr. Nathan Smith (no family relation) of Dartmouth College was consulted. After examining young Joseph, he suggested amputation—indicating how severe the infection was. When the family objected, he then suggested performing an experimental surgery. It involved opening up the leg, drilling into the bone, and removing the infected matter.

Keep in mind that there were none of the niceties that we find in hospitals today. No CAT scans, no MRIs, no X-rays, no antibiotics. This was frontier surgery. And there was no general anesthesia. The first use of ether was in 1842; before that, it was either opium or liquor. So before they began the surgery, the doctors suggested that he take a swig of brandy to relax him. Then they would tie him down while they cut the bone.

Joseph Smith’s mother Lucy remembered the boy’s response this way:

“‘No,’ exclaimed Joseph, ‘I will not touch one particle of liquor, neither will I be tied down; but I will tell you what I will do—I will have my father sit on the bed and hold me in his arms, and then I will do whatever is necessary in order to have the bone taken out.’

“Looking at me, he said, ‘Mother, I want you to leave the room, for I know you cannot bear to see me suffer so; father can stand it, but you have carried me so much, and watched over me so long, you are almost worn out.’ Then looking up into my face, his eyes swimming in tears, he continued. ‘Now, mother, promise me that you will not stay, will you? The Lord will help me, and I shall get through with it.’” (Lucy Mack Smith, History of Joseph Smith, 57)

Imagine that: having your leg opened, the bone drilled, fourteen fragments removed, and all this while fully conscious. But he did it.

Even thought the experimental operation was a success, it took three years for Joseph Smith to recover (Rough Stone Rolling, 21). While he was convalescing, however, the family was forced to move from New Hampshire to Palmyra, New York for financial reasons.

Even in this weakened state, Joseph Smith was not immune from troubles. He explained what happened during their journey this way:

“After I began to get about, I went on crutches till I started for the State of New York, where my father had gone for the purpose of preparing a place for the removal of his family, which he affected by sending a man after us by the name of Caleb Howard, who, after he had started on, the journey with my mother and family spent the money he had received of my father by drinking and gambling, etc.”

“We fell in with a family by the name of Gates who were traveling west, and Howard drove me from the wagon and made me travel in my weak state through the snow 40 miles per day for several days, during which time I suffered the most excruciating weariness and pain, and all this that Mr. Howard might enjoy the society of two of Mr. Gates daughters which he took on the wagon where I should have rode.”

“And thus he continued to do day after day through the journey. And when my brothers remonstrated with Mr. Howard for his treatment to me, he would knock them down with the butt of his whip.”

“When we arrived at Utica, New York, Howard threw the goods out of the wagon into the street and attempted to run away with the horses and wagon. But my mother seized the horses by the reign, and calling witnesses forbid his taking them away as they were her property. On our way from Utica, I was left to ride on the last sleigh in the company, (the Gates family were in sleighs) but when that came up, I was knocked down by the driver, one of Gate's sons, and left to wallow in my blood until a stranger came along, picked me up, and carried me to the town of Palmyra.” (Encyclopedia of Joseph Smith’s Teachings, 261)

This inhumane treatment—even child abuse—is unbelievable. But it reminds us that pain is real. Joseph’s being abused was real. His being kicked while he was down was real. That was just the physical pain—there was also the emotional pain. After all, imagine being ten years old, wounded, and being knocked down and abandoned in the snow, all in a strange part of the country.

I think we all feel like this at times. We get kicked when we are down, adding insult to injury. And sometimes, as Shakespeare pointed out, “when sorrows come, they come not single spies but in battalions!” (Hamlet IV.V.47-48). But like Joseph Smith, we can overcome difficulties. He was helped by an unknown stranger, which coincidentally, reminds me of the story of the Unknown Boy Scout.

William D. Boyce was an American entrepreneur and newspaperman. While in London in 1909, he got lost in the fog. He asked a young man for directions, was put aright, and when he offered the boy a tip, the young man refused. He said that he was a Boy Scout and only doing his duty.

Boyce was impressed with the lad, and from him got the address to the scouting office where he picked up a copy of Scouting For Boys. As a result of this second-nature, inconspicuous act of charity, scouting came to America. This is an impressive example of the Ripple Effect.

As Joseph Smith explained in his Wagon-Wheel Analogy, sometimes we are up, and sometimes we are down. And it is comforting to know that Jesus Christ has experienced these gyrations, too:

“He that ascended up on high, as also he descended below all things, in that he comprehended all things, that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth” (D&C 88:6).

That is why He places people in our path to help us when we are down. Christ understands pain perfectly because He experienced it.

And if we are up, sometimes we have to be that Unknown Stranger to Joseph Smith or the Unknown Boy Scout to Boyce. We see someone in need, so we help them, and then disappear into the sunset without a thought of reward. For me, these times are the best—you feel like a spiritual secret agent.

I love reading the diaries and journals of Joseph Smith, the first prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, known as the Mormons. I especially love the early ones which are written in Joseph Smith’s own hand. You get exposed to Joseph Smith’s mind, unfiltered. There are no scribes, no copyists, no amanuenses—just Joseph Smith and his quill.

Here are some examples:

28 November 1832 • Wednesday

This day I have spent in reading and writing. This evening my mind is calm and serene, for which I thank the Lord.

4 December 1832 • Tuesday

This day I been unwell; done but little. Been at home all day. Regulated some things. This evening feel better in my mind then I have for a few days back. Oh Lord, deliver thy servant out of temptations and fill his heart with wisdom and understanding.

13 October 1833 • Sunday

Held a meeting at Freeman Nickerson's. Had a large congregation. Brother Sidney preached and I bore record to the people. The Lord gave His Spirit in a marvelous manner, for which I am thankful to the God of Abraham. Lord, bless my family and preserve them.

(Source: Personal Writings of Joseph Smith, 21-24. Standardized)

I also love reading the journal entries from people who heard Joseph Smith speak. Of course the best source on what Joseph Smith said is Wilford Woodruff’s journal. As an early member and later apostle, he was close to Joseph Smith. Whenever he attended a meeting where Joseph Smith spoke, he paid close attention, kept notes, and then recorded the sermon into his own private journal.

He explained that this journaling was more than a compulsion:

“I have been inspired and moved upon to keep a journal and write the affairs of this Church as far as I can. I did not understand why my feelings were exercised so much in the early age of this Church, but I understand it now. I seldom ever heard Brother Joseph or the Twelve preach or teach any principle but what I felt as uneasy as a fish out of water until I had written it. Then I felt right. I could write a sermon of Joseph’s a week after it was delivered almost word for word, and after it was written, it was taken from me or from my mind. This was a gift from God unto me.” (Chapter 13: Journals: “Of Far More Worth than Gold”, Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Wilford Woodruff, 125.)

B. H. Roberts, a church leader and scholar, made this observation:

“As historian President Woodruff rendered a most important service to the church. His Journals regularly and methodically and neatly kept and strongly bound, extending as they do from 1834 to April 18th, 1897, (with some scattering notes through the remainder of 1897, and the year 1898 when he was in his ninety-second year)—a period of sixty-three years—constitute an original documentary historical treasure which is priceless. The church is indebted to these Journals for a reliable record of discourses and sayings of the Prophet of the New Dispensation—Joseph Smith—which but for him would have been lost forever. …”

“Other men may found hospitals or temples or schools for the Church, or endow special divisions or chairs of learning in them; or they may make consecrations of lands and other property to the Church but in point of important service, and in placing the Church under permanent obligations, no one will surpass in excellence in permanence or largeness the service Wilford Woodruff has given to the Church of Jesus Christ in the new dispensation, by writing and preserving the beautiful and splendid journals he kept through sixty-three years—so far do the things of mind surpass material things” (Comprehensive History of the Church 7:354-355).

You sense the early saints’ love for Joseph Smith. They took the time to record the words of the man whom they believed to be a prophet. It was not only love for the words, but also a desire to have correct information. Joseph Smith noted, “In these infant days of the Church, there was a great anxiety to obtain the word of the Lord upon every subject that in any way concerned our salvation.” (History of the Church 1:207)

This was a crucial problem for a church with so many new members. They had to weed out old ideas, and plant new seeds of correct doctrine. On August 6, 1838, Joseph Smith suggested that the members of the Church in Far West, MO have a weekly newspaper “to unite the people” (History of the Church 3:56). These early newspapers also had reports on Joseph Smith’s sermons and revelations.

Nowadays we have The Ensign, a monthly magazine, and the Church has a web page, www.lds.org. But the point is the same: we have access to the words of the living prophet.

Saturday, April 5th, 2008, Thomas S. Monson was installed as president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Like the people in Joseph Smith’s day, I have a desire to hear, obey, and to have the words of the prophet. And not only to have them, but to have them in a form that allows for easy access.

A few years ago I was in a regional training meeting with Presiding Bishop H. David Burton. In the course of his training, he held up a white three-ring binder. He said—and I am working from memory; the meeting happened about seven years ago—that this was his Hinckley Bible.

(Gordon B. Hinckley was the president of the Church at the time.)

He then apologized to anyone if they found the expression offensive. He explained that this three-ring binder contained copies of all of President Hinckley's public addresses he had given since being called as prophet. He used it as reference and resource whenever he had to give talks or train people.

I laughed. I did the same thing with President Howard W. Hunter, who was the prophet before President Hinckley. I got copies of some of his general conference talks (using the Teachings of the Living Prophets packet from BYU), then I kept Xeroxing talks as he gave them, and copied his home teaching articles as they were published. I also had some information from his biography, and occasionally had to call his office to get some addresses that I could not track down.

At this time I was serving as stake Sunday School president (and yes, there were a lot of “the other President Hunter” jokes), and used this homemade collection for teaching and training ward Sunday School teachers and presidents. When President Hunter’s book That We Might Have Joy was published, I carried both my collection and the book as I did my rounds as a stake officer.

Yesterday, I got a large three-ring binder and began my collection for President Thomas S. Monson. So far it has his funeral address for President Hinckley, his statement to the press (I had to transcribe this from the internet video), his world-wide leadership sermon, and the April 2008 home teaching message. I will add his General Conference addresses when they become available.

This collection is not only an expression of my love for the man and his office, but also my desire to really follow the living prophet. I will have all of his talks at my fingertips, ready for any assignment or teaching moment. There is both security and power in having the living prophet’s words so accessible.

This past Saturday, Thomas S. Monson was installed as sixteenth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the Mormons. This process involved two points of doctrine: the principle of common consent and the practice of solemn assemblies. Both of these began with the founding prophet Joseph Smith.

COMMON CONSENT
Mormons are guided by common consent. That is, we as members of the Church must approve people before they fill positions in the Church. This not only applies to local congregations, but also includes the general, or global, leaders of our Church.

Two scriptures given to Joseph Smith explain this doctrine. The first comes from the revelation known as the Articles and Covenants of the Church. (Section 20) The revelation explains:

“No person is to be ordained to any office in this church, where there is a regularly organized branch of the same, without the vote of that church.” (D&C 20:65)

The other scripture is found in a revelation known as the Law of the Church (Section 42). It says:

“Again I say unto you, that it shall not be given to any one to go forth to preach my gospel, or to build up my church, except he be ordained by some one who has authority, and it is known to the Church that he has authority and has been regularly ordained by the heads of the church.” (D&C 42:11)

That is, whenever a person receives a position in the Church, it must come from above, and it must be presented to the body for a sanctioning vote. So holding an office is unlike running for office. In politics, we choose to throw our hats in the ring. But in the Church of Jesus Christ we wait until we are called. Or, in the case of the President of the Church, the selection is based on seniority.

It is different from the selection of the Pope, which is done by a conclave of cardinals at the Vatican, and signaled by white smoke. It is also unlike some protestant denominations, where staffing begins with a call in the heart, then enrollment in seminary, and finally finding a congregation that will welcome the preacher.

Mormons operate top-down. And it is an ultimate top-down, with the call coming from God, via the established leaders of the Church:

“We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.” (Articles of Faith 1:5)

The upshot of this process is simple: democracy, transparency, and order. All members of the Church know who is called, where he got his authority, and have given him a sanctioning and sustaining vote.

Since the call is by revelation, politicking, ego-trips, and faction (or schism) within the body of Christ are eliminated. Boyd K. Packer, president of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles, also explained that this process protects the Church "from any imposter who would take over a quorum, a ward, a stake, or the Church." ("The Weak and the Simple of the Church,” Ensign, Nov 2007, 6–9.)

JOSEPH SMITH AND COMMON CONSENT

Joseph Smith followed this pattern of common consent when he organized the Church on April 6, 1830:

“Whilst the Book of Mormon was in the hands of the printer, we still continued to bear testimony and give information, as far as we had opportunity; and also made known to our brethren that we had received a commandment to organize the Church; and accordingly we met together for that purpose, at the house of Mr. Peter Whitmer, Sen., (being six in number,) on Tuesday, the sixth day of April, A. D., one thousand eight hundred and thirty.”

“Having opened the meeting by solemn prayer to our Heavenly Father, we proceeded, according to previous commandment, to call on our brethren to know whether they accepted us as their teachers in the things of the Kingdom of God, and whether they were satisfied that we should proceed and be organized as a Church according to said commandment which we had received.”

“To these several propositions they consented by a unanimous vote. I then laid my hands upon Oliver Cowdery, and ordained him an Elder of the ‘Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’; after which, he ordained me also to the office of an Elder of said Church.”

“We then took bread, blessed it, and brake it with them; also wine, blessed it, and drank it with them. We then laid our hands on each individual member of the Church present, that they might receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, and be confirmed members of the Church of Christ. The Holy Ghost was poured out upon us to a very great degree—some prophesied, whilst we all praised the Lord, and rejoiced exceedingly.” (History of the Church 1:74-46)

All members of the Church sanctioned the actions taken. There is nothing in this record to suggest deviousness, underhandedness, or an iron-fisted rule of a flock of dumb sheep. These six members were willing and active participants in running the Church. This same process and attitude exists in the church today. We all vote to sustain the newly-called leaders.

SOLEMN ASSEMBLIES

Since the call of a new prophet and president over the Church is such a monumental and sacred event, it is done in a special meeting called a solemn assembly.

This sacred meeting traces itself back to Old Testament days, when certain Jewish feasts, such as the Passover, or the dedication of Solomon’s temple, were held. The ancient believers prepared themselves for special and supernal blessings by gathering as a body for worship (Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 3:1390-1391).

As the name implies, it is an assembly that is solemn, above and beyond the normal decorum associated with other church gatherings. Elder Bruce R. McConkie, a Latter-day apostle, wrote, “As of old, their purpose is one of solemn worship, when by fasting, prayer, and faith the saints can draw near to the Lord and receive an outpouring of his Spirit” (Mormon Doctrine, 739).

JOSEPH SMITH AND SOLEMN ASSEMBLIES

Joseph Smith first held a solemn assembly when he dedicated the Kirtland Temple. Before he dedicated the temple, he put the names of the general and local leaders of the Church for a sustaining vote:

"I then made a short address, and called upon the several quorums, and all the congregation of Saints, to acknowledge the Presidency as Prophets and Seers, and uphold them by their prayers. They all covenanted to do so, by rising."

"I then called upon the quorums and congregation of Saints to acknowledge the Twelve Apostles, who were present, as Prophets, Seers, Revelators, and special witnesses to all the nations of the earth, holding the keys of the kingdom, to unlock it, or cause it to be done, among them, and uphold them by their prayers, which they assented to by rising."

"I next called upon the quorums and congregation of Saints to acknowledge the presidents of Seventies who act as their representatives, as Apostles and special witnesses to the nations, to assist the Twelve in opening the Gospel kingdom among all people, and to uphold them by their prayers, which they did by rising."

"I then called upon the quorums and congregation of Saints to acknowledge the High Council of Kirtland, in all the authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood, and uphold them by their prayers, which they assented to by rising."

"I then called upon the quorums and congregation of Saints to acknowledge, and uphold by their prayers, the Bishops of Kirtland and Zion, and their counselors, in all the authority of the Aaronic Priesthood, which they did by rising."

"I next called upon the quorums and congregation of Saints to acknowledge the High Council of Zion, and uphold them by their prayers, in all the authority of the High Priesthood, which they did by rising."

"I then called upon the quorums and all the Saints to acknowledge the president of the Elders, and his counselors, and uphold them by their prayers which they did by rising."

"The quorums and congregation of Saints were then called upon to acknowledge, and uphold by their prayers, the presidents and counselors, of the Priests, Teachers and Deacons, which they did by rising."

"The vote was unanimous in every instance, and I prophesied to all, that inasmuch as they would uphold these men in their several stations, (alluding to the different quorums in the Church), the Lord would bless them; yea, in the name of Christ, the blessings of heaven should be theirs; and when the Lord's anointed go forth to proclaim the word, bearing testimony to this generation, if they receive it they shall be blessed; but if not, the judgments of God will follow close upon them, until that city or that house which rejects them, shall be left desolate." (History of the Church 2:417-418).

It was a rather intricate process, but it served a purpose. The members of the Church had an opportunity to renew their commitment to serve and sustain their leaders. In effect, it is a covenant to love and to obey those who have been called to lead them.

BELIEF AND COVENANT

James E. Talmage, a Latter-day apostle, wrote:

“It is not sufficing to accept the precepts of Christ as we may adopt the doctrines of scientists, philosophers, and savants, however great the wisdom of these sages may be; for such acceptance is by mental assent or deliberate exercise of will, and has relation to the doctrine only as independent of the author. ... Acceptance of Jesus as the Christ implies obedience to the laws and ordinances of His gospel; for to profess the One and refuse the other is but to convict ourselves of inconsistency, insincerity, and hypocrisy. (Jesus the Christ, Ch. 21)

The same principle applies to Jesus Christ’s servants. It is not enough to give “mental assent or deliberate exercise of will” to these men. We need a covenant to bind ourselves—both to our leaders and to God who guides our leaders.

MY EXPERIENCE

I have attended several solemn assemblies. These were the dedications of several temples: American Fork, UT, Palmyra, NY, Winter Quarters, NE, and the rebuilt one in Nauvoo, IL. Plus I have remotely attended the solemn assemblies associated with the calls of Presidents Benson, Hunter, Hinckley, and the dedication of the Conference Center.

This one associated with President Thomas S. Monson’s ordination, however, has to be the most unusual. I was with my parents driving back from funeral in Oakley, Idaho, where we had buried my grandfather.

As we merged onto I-84, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, the second counselor in the First Presidency, began the process of sustaining the new prophet. First the First Presidency voted on the call of President Monson and his counselors, then the Quorum of Twelve Apostles voted. Next the Seventy and Presiding Bishopric voted, followed by the Melchizedek Priesthood as a body, then the Aaronic Priesthood, then the female Relief Society, then the Young Women. Lastly, we reconfirmed our vote by voting as a body and as a Church.

Even though we were participating by radio, and heading southbound in a rental car, we still voted and gave President Monson our uplifted hand.

CONCLUSION

This is the miracle of Mormonism. This is a people-friendly Church. We all have a part in the call of the new prophet of the Church. This is an opportunity to offer him our right hand of support, of sanction, and of love. And I am grateful that Joseph Smith, under direction from the Lord, organized the Church in this democratic fashion. We are all on equal footing.

The Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard frequently lamented that he wrote “without authority” (The Essential Kierkegaard, 454). He meant several things by this. One shade had to do with his philosophic writings: he was merely a reader of books, and not any authority figure. But the complaint also implied that he was a layman (ibid, 344). That is, God had not called him to a divinely-inspired position, such as Paul or Isaiah. He was not clergy; he was merely a thinker, and that is as far as it went.

Unlike Søren Kierkegaard, Joseph Smith always claimed to have authority. Joseph Smith was the founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, known as the Mormons. He claimed to have authority from God, given to him by angels. This was a crucial aspect of his mission as a prophet.

While translating The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ from the gold plates, with Oliver Cowdery acting as scribe, they read passages about baptism. They were both confused and intrigued by what they were translating.

The official history describes what happened next:

We still continued the work of translation, when, in the ensuing month (May, 1829), we on a certain day went into the woods to pray and inquire of the Lord respecting baptism for the remission of sins, that we found mentioned in the translation of the plates.

I love this pattern. Joseph Smith was translating, but he also paid attention to what he read. And his curiosity was aroused.

Baptism is clearly biblical, but what exactly do we mean by baptism? Is it by immersion? Is it by aspersion, or sprinkling? Is it by affusion, or pouring? Do we perform it once, or do we do it three times, as in the Eastern Orthodox tradition? Do we do it in the name of the Trinity, or just in the name of Jesus? Do we need authority, or can anyone perform an emergency baptism (in extremis)? And what words do we use in performing the ordinance? Or does any of this make a difference, so long as the person’s heart is in the right place?

Not only are these all legitimate questions, but absolutely crucial questions. However, the problem then becomes how to answer these knotty questions. The off-the-cuff answer is that we just follow the Bible. But as Joseph Smith discovered early on, “the teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible" (JS-History 1:12).

So instead of complaining or moping over his inability to understand the correct mode of baptism, Joseph Smith took the matter to the Lord in prayer. There is a saying that even a dead fish can swim downstream. Joseph Smith was proactive with the matter, and it is not surprising that the Lord honored his diligence by sending an angel.

Joseph Smith explained more in the history:

While we were thus employed, praying and calling upon the Lord, a messenger from heaven descended in a cloud of light, and having laid his hands upon us, he ordained us, saying:

“Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah, I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness.”

The messenger who visited us on this occasion and conferred this Priesthood upon us, said that his name was John, the same that is called John the Baptist in the New Testament, and that he acted under the direction of Peter, James and John, who held the keys of the Priesthood of Melchizedek, which Priesthood, he said, would in due time be conferred on us, and that I should be called the first Elder of the Church, and he (Oliver Cowdery) the second. It was on the fifteenth day of May, 1829, that we were ordained under the hand of this messenger, and baptized.

(For me, this settles the matter. After all, if John the Baptist is not a world-renown expert on baptism, then who is?)

This visit served two purposes. First, it affirmed Joseph Smith’s diligence in trying to understand The Book of Mormon. Again, he was proactive in his scripture study.

Secondly, this visit served an institutional purpose. John the Baptist came back as an angel to give Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery authority—that thing which Kierkegaard lacked—to perform baptism. Baptism is the gateway to membership in the Church, and it was imperative that Joseph Smith have this authority for the Church to properly function. Not only did they need proper authority, they also needed to perform the ordinances in the proper fashion. As the angel instructed, baptism is done once and by immersion.

Of course, behind baptism is the Atonement of Jesus Christ. As John the Baptist explained, baptism is done for the remission of sin. That is how we get clean, and how we fix the mistakes we made in the past. There is a lot of political talk about “change” this election year. What baptism offers us is eternal change—and progress, which is change for the better.

Baptism also reminds us of Christ’s Atonement. The Bible teaches:

“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?”

“Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

“For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:”

“Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.”

“For he that is dead is freed from sin.”

“Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him.” (Romans 6:3-8)

Baptism is a rebirth that reminds us of our physical birth, and our second birth into the kingdom of God, and our eventual resurrection with Christ. That is why it is so crucial.

After Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were baptized, the Lord blessed them with the Holy Ghost:

Immediately on our coming up out of the water after we had been baptized, we experienced great and glorious blessings from our Heavenly Father. No sooner had I baptized Oliver Cowdery, than the Holy Ghost fell upon him, and he stood up and prophesied many things which should shortly come to pass. And again, so soon as I had been baptized by him, I also had the spirit of prophecy, when, standing up, I prophesied concerning the rise of this Church, and many other things connected with the Church, and this generation of the children of men. We were filled with the Holy Ghost, and rejoiced in the God of our salvation.

Our minds being now enlightened, we began to have the scriptures laid open to our understandings, and the true meaning and intention of their more mysterious passages revealed unto us in a manner which we never could attain to previously, nor ever before had thought of. (JS-History 1: 68-74)

I appreciate Joseph Smith’s straightforward explanation of the events. Like all of us, as he was studying the scriptures he came to a confusing passage. He thought about it, and then prayed over the matter. And the Lord answered his prayer with information and power. They were now authorized to preform baptisms. The Atonement of Jesus Christ came alive for them when they were baptized. And the same thing has happed to me because I have been baptized.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly referred to as the Mormon Church, claim that The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ was translated from gold plates. To substantiate this claim, they usually cite Joseph Smith’s own testimony of the gold plates, and the testimony of the Three and the Eight Witnesses.

However, there are two more witness to the physical gold plates. The first is Mary Whitmer. She was the wife of Peter Whitmer, Sr. and mother of several of the witnesses to the Book of Mormon: Christian, Jacob, David, and Peter Jr.

Here is her account, as told by her grandson John C. Whitmer:

“One evening, when (after having done her usual day's work in the house) she went to the barn to milk the cows, she met a stranger carrying something on his back that looked like a knapsack. At first she was a little afraid of him, but when he spoke to her in a kind, friendly tone and began to explain to her the nature of the work which was going on in her house, she was filled with inexpressible joy and satisfaction.”

“He then untied his knapsack and showed her a bundle of plates, which in size and appearance corresponded with the description subsequently given by the witnesses to the Book of Mormon. This strange person turned the leaves of the book of plates over, leaf after leaf, and also showed her the engravings upon them; after which he told her to be patient and faithful in bearing her burden a little longer, promising that if she would do so, she should be blessed; and her reward would be sure, if she proved faithful to the end. The personage then suddenly vanished with the plates, and where he went, she could not tell. (Andrew Jenson, LDS Biographical Encyclopedia 1:283)

I’m impressed with this opportunity she had. I’m sure it strengthened her faith. And she probably needed it. As the record shows, the events surrounding the translation and the publication of the Book of Mormon taxed the power and patience of the people involved.

Joseph Smith, the founder of the Church, referring to these trying times, wrote:

"Now my wife had written some for me to translate, and also my Brother Samuel H. Smith. But we had be come reduced in property, and my wife’s father was about to turn me out of doors and I had not where to go. And I cried unto the Lord that he would provide for me to accomplish the work whereunto he had commanded me." (1832 History. Personal Writings of Joseph Smith, 14. Standardized.)

His prayer was answered. God raised up people to help him. Not just men, such as Oliver Cowdery and the Whitmer men, but also women. In addition to Mary Whitmer, there was also Joseph Smith’s wife Emma. She served as a scribe between Martin Harris’s departure and the coming of Oliver Cowdery.

She was not exactly a witness of the gold plates, but she was almost a witness. Here is her story, as told to her son Joseph Smith III:

“The plates often lay on the table without any attempt at concealment, wrapped in a small linen tablecloth, which I had given him [Joseph Smith, Jr.] to fold them in. I once felt of the plates, as they thus lay on the table, tracing their outline and shape. They seemed to be pliable like thick paper, and would rustle with a metallic sound when the edges were moved by the thumb, as one does sometimes thumb the edges of a book. … I did not attempt to handle the plates, other than I have told you, nor uncover them to look at them. I was satisfied that it was the work of God, and therefore did not feel it to be necessary to do so. … I moved them from place to place on the table, as it was necessary in doing my work.” (The Saints’ Herald, 1 Oct. 1879, p. 290; spelling modernized.)

So the plates were there, but covered. Like the Eight Witnesses, she handled them, and moved them around as she kept house. Her testimony reflects her unique position as wife of Joseph Smith. It has a folksy charm about it. You can picture Emma sliding the heavy plates around the table as she is dusting.

And as both a wife of the prophet and a scribe of the Book of Mormon, I find her testimony compelling:

“My belief is that the Book of Mormon is of divine authenticity—I have not the slightest doubt of it. I am satisfied that no man could have dictated the writing of the manuscripts unless he was inspired; for, when acting as his scribe, your father [Joseph Smith] would dictate to me hour after hour; and when returning after meals, or after interruptions, he would at once begin where he had left off, without either seeing the manuscript or having any portion of it read to him. This was a usual thing for him to do. It would have been improbable that a learned man could do this; and, for one so ignorant and unlearned as he was, it was simply impossible.” (Ibid.)

I am glad that God raised up these women to help move the Lord’s work along. I have read the Book of Mormon scores of times, and appreciate their part in bringing forth the keystone of our religion, and this new witness of the divinity of Christ.

In studying the history of Joseph Smith and the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, referred to as the Mormons, we emphasize Joseph Smith’s own testimony of the Book of Mormon, that book of additional scripture that is another testament of Jesus Christ. We also talk about the testimony of the Three Witnesses, three men who were allowed to see an angel and the physical gold plates from which the Book of Mormon was translated.

Additionally, there were eight other men who were privileged to see the gold plates. But unlike the Three Witnesses, these Eight Witnesses had a somewhat less dramatic experience. B. H. Roberts explained:

“The difference between the testimony given the Three Witnesses and that given to the Eight, is that the former was attended by a splendid display of the glory and power of God and the ministration of an angel, while the latter was attended by no such display but was a plain matter-of-fact exhibition of the plates by the Prophet to his friends, and they not only saw the plates, but handled them and examined the engravings upon them.” (History of the Church 1:58n)

WHY THE WITNESSES?

Even without the angel and a voice from heaven, seeing the gold plates would be something wonderful. Of course we are not so much concerned with the material upon which a message was written, but the message itself. That is why Mormons are so enthusiastic about the Book of Mormon—it is a crucial second witness of Christ and His gospel.

And that it why it is important to have Joseph Smith’s account, and the accounts of the Three and Eight Witnesses. They testify to the reality and physicality of the gold plates. The Book of Mormon had to come from somewhere, and their deposition answers that question. We need this foundational question settled before we can go to the next set of questions, such as "What is the message of the Book of Mormon?" "Why is it important to have a second witness of Christ?" "How can the Book of Mormon help me with my practical, day-to-day problems?"

But first thing first.

THEIR TESTIMONY

This is the testimony of the last group, the Eight Witnesses:

THE TESTIMONY OF EIGHT WITNESSES

Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come: That Joseph Smith, Jun., the translator of this work, has shown unto us the plates of which hath been spoken, which have the appearance of gold; and as many of the leaves as the said Smith has translated we did handle with our hands; and we also saw the engravings thereon, all of which has the appearance of ancient work, and of curious workmanship. And this we bear record with words of soberness, that the said Smith has shown unto us, for we have seen and hefted, and know of a surety that the said Smith has got the plates of which we have spoken. And we give our names unto the world, to witness unto the world that which we have seen. And we lie not, God bearing witness of it.

CHRISTIAN WHITMER
HIRAM PAGE
JACOB WHITMER
JOSEPH SMITH, SEN.
PETER WHITMER, JUN.
HYRUM SMITH
JOHN WHITMER
SAMUEL H. SMITH

TWO WORDS

In this testimony, two things impress me. Actually, it is two words: “curious” and “heft.”

Curious. Nowadays, we associate curious with a certain mischievous chimpanzee, or with Alice tumbling into Wonderland. However, in the archaic sense curious means "accomplished with skill or ingenuity." What they meant to say was that the engravings on the plate were minutely detailed and skillfully carved.

If you look at artifacts similar to the Book of Mormon, such as the two Roman plates currently on display at the Brigham Young University Harold B. Lee Library, you see that they are rather exquisite. (Click here for images of the Roman Plates)

This exquisiteness, or curiousness, is an impressive detail. These witnesses used words which imply that they looked over the plates with microscopic precision. I get the impression that they were actually describing something that saw, but did not quite understand, given their academic background.

Heft. Then there is the word “heft.” This odd word is related to the words “hefty," heavy," and “heave.” Instead of a visual detail, this is a tactile detail. It emphasizes the plate’s weight. As all eight testify, the plates were rather heavy, so they had to heave them to each other after holding and examining them.

Joseph Smith said that the plates were gold, and that they were six inches by six inches by eight inches. Given the density of gold (and assuming that they were a solid block for guesstimation purposes), they should be about 200 pounds. The consensus of witnesses was that they weighed about 60 pounds. Since we do not know how alloyed the gold was, and they did not actually weigh them with scientific instruments, this is all we can go on.

SCIENCE, FACTS, FAITH

But the salient point is that the testimony of the Eight Witnesses has both internal and external consistency. They agree that the plates were finely engraved, and then make special note of their weight. This corresponds to both archaeological evidence and the physical properties of gold.

Of course this does not prove that Mormonism is true. It does, however, weed-out frivolous objections, and makes what they said scientifically and historically possible and plausible.

I say plausible because if you eliminate two miracles—the angel and the miraculous translation process—Joseph Smith’s story is no different than the finding of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Someone digs up an unexpected archaeological find, and then ... !

(By the way, we have a better account of the origins of the Book of Mormon that we do of the Rosetta Stone.)

But this is something that we all need to find out for ourselves. There is nothing I could say to persuade anyone that the Book of Mormon is true any more than I can drop a box full of artifacts and say “Artifact A plus artifact B plus artifact C. Thus, Q.E.D, the Book of Mormon is true.”

All I can suggest is that a person read the book on their own and pray about it. This eliminates any mortal (and therefore fallible) middleman.

THE LIVES OF THE EIGHT WITNESSES

Like the lives of the Three Witnesses, the lives of the Eight Witnesses are rather tortuous. Some remained true to Mormonism, some fell away, but none ever denied their testimony.

Here is the breakdown:

Christian Whitmer. Remained faithful, died 1835.
Hiram Page. Excommunicated in 1838, died in 1852.
Jacob Whitmer. Excommunicated in 1838, died in 1856.
Joseph Smith, Sr. Remained faithful, was the first Church Patriarch, and died in 1840.
Peter Whitmer, Jr. Remained faithful, and died of tuberculosis in 1836.
Hyrum Smith. Remained faithful, was the Associate President of the Church and second Church Patriarch. Martyred with Joseph Smith in 1844.
John Whitmer. He left the church in 1838, and stayed in Missouri until his death.
Samuel H. Smith. Became the first missionary of the Mormon Church, remained faithful, and died in 1844.

As with the Three Witnesses, the fact that several left Mormonism is not so much a comment on Mormonism as it is a comment on humanity and people’s power of choice. The key point is that though they were disaffected and estranged, they never retracted their testimony.

CONCLUSION

Joseph Smith did not stand alone in regards to the Book of Mormon. He gave consistent testimony about the angel, the plates, and the translation. Additionally, he allowed two separate groups of several men to see the plates. They, in turn, confirmed his claims. And not one of the witnesses ever retracted or denied their testimony, including the men who later left Mormonism.

Joseph Smith, the Three Witnesses, and the Eight Witnesses are a twelve-man jury in affirming the reality of the gold plates and the Book of Mormon. And I find that rather impressive.

Joseph Smith, the first president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, referred to as the Mormons was consistent with his account of the history of the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ:

“Moroni, who deposited the plates in a hill in Manchester, Ontario county, New York, being dead and raised again therefrom, appeared unto me, and told me where they were, and gave me directions how to obtain them. I obtained them, and the Urim and Thummim with them, by the means of which I translated the plates; and thus came the Book of Mormon.” (“Chapter 4: The Book of Mormon: Keystone of Our Religion,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, [2007], 57–68.)

He always asserted that there was an angel, there were physical gold plates, and that he translated the Book of Mormon from these plates. I am impressed with how consistent he was.

I am also impressed how those who knew Joseph Smith were equally consistent with the facts. Even though many of them left the Mormon Church, they still corroborated Joseph Smith’s statements. They all affirmed that there was an angel, there were gold plates, and that it was translated by the gift and power of God.

THE THREE WITNESSES

There were two formal groups whose witness buttressed Joseph Smith’s account of the gold plates. The first group is known as the Three Witnesses. They were Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris.

Here is their formal statement, which is present in every copy of the Book of Mormon:

THE TESTIMONY OF THREE WITNESSES

Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come: That we, through the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, have seen the plates which contain this record, which is a record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites, their brethren, and also of the people of Jared, who came from the tower of which hath been spoken. And we also know that they have been translated by the gift and power of God, for his voice hath declared it unto us; wherefore we know of a surety that the work is true. And we also testify that we have seen the engravings which are upon the plates; and they have been shown unto us by the power of God, and not of man. And we declare with words of soberness, that an angel of God came down from heaven, and he brought and laid before our eyes, that we beheld and saw the plates, and the engravings thereon; and we know that it is by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, that we beheld and bear record that these things are true. And it is marvelous in our eyes. Nevertheless, the voice of the Lord commanded us that we should bear record of it; wherefore, to be obedient unto the commandments of God, we bear testimony of these things. And we know that if we are faithful in Christ, we shall rid our garments of the blood of all men, and be found spotless before the judgment–seat of Christ, and shall dwell with him eternally in the heavens. And the honor be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, which is one God. Amen.

OLIVER COWDERY
DAVID WHITMER
MARTIN HARRIS

Of course like most formal depositions this has all the facts but none of the emotion surrounding the event. The actual process of seeing the angel and the plates was far more dramatic and exciting.

THE ANGEL AND THE PLATES

From the official church history, here is what happened:

Not many days after the above commandment was given, we four, viz., Martin Harris, David Whitmer, Oliver Cowdery and myself, agreed to retire into the woods, and try to obtain, by fervent and humble prayer, the fulfillment of the promises given in the above revelation—that they should have a view of the plates. We accordingly made choice of a piece of woods convenient to Mr. Whitmer's house [in Fayette, NY], to which we retired, and having knelt down, we began to pray in much faith to Almighty God to bestow upon us a realization of these promises.

According to previous arrangement, I commenced prayer to our Heavenly Father, and was followed by each of the others in succession. We did not at the first trial, however, obtain any answer or manifestation of divine favor in our behalf. We again observed the same order of prayer, each calling on and praying fervently to God in rotation, but with the same result as before.

Upon this, our second failure, Martin Harris proposed that he should withdraw himself from us, believing, as he expressed himself, that his presence was the cause of our not obtaining what we wished for. He accordingly withdrew from us, and we knelt down again, and had not been many minutes engaged in prayer, when presently we beheld a light above us in the air, of exceeding brightness; and behold, an angel stood before us. In his hands he held the plates which we had been praying for these to have a view of. He turned over the leaves one by one, so that we could see them, and discern the engravings thereon distinctly. He then addressed himself to David Whitmer, and said, "David, blessed is the Lord, and he that keeps His commandments;" when, immediately afterwards, we heard a voice from out of the bright light above us, saying,

"These plates have been revealed by the power of God, and they have been translated by the power of God. The translation of them which you have seen is correct, and I command you to bear record of what you now see and hear."

I now left David and Oliver, and went in pursuit of Martin Harris, whom I found at a considerable distance, fervently engaged in prayer. He soon told me, however, that he had not yet prevailed with the Lord, and earnestly requested me to join him in prayer, that he also might realize the same blessings which we had just received. We accordingly joined in prayer, and ultimately obtained our desires, for before we had yet finished, the same vision was opened to our view, at least it was again opened to me, and I once more beheld and heard the same things; whilst at the same moment, Martin Harris cried out, apparently in an ecstasy of joy, " 'Tis enough; 'tis enough; mine eyes have beheld; mine eyes have beheld;" and jumping up, he shouted, "Hosanna," blessing God, and otherwise rejoiced exceedingly. (History of the Church 1:54-55.)

CORROBORATING TESTIMONY

Joseph Smith was relieved to have these additional supports. When the foursome came back from seeing the plates and the angel, Joseph Smith exclaimed the following to his parents:

“Father, mother, you do not know how happy I am; the Lord has now caused the plates to be shown to three more besides myself. They have seen an angel, who has testified to them, and they will have to bear witness to the truth of what I have said, for now they know for themselves that I do not go about to deceive the people, and I feel as if I was relieved of a burden which was almost too heavy for me to bear, and it rejoices my soul that I am not any longer to be entirely alone in the world.” (History of the Church 1:55n.)

These Three Witnesses reinforce Joseph Smith’s claims. After all, to a practical person living in the age of telegraphy and steam engines, talking about an angle with gold plates is just as implausible as it would be to a person living in the age of the Internet and space shuttles. With science and technology, we should know better.

But there it is, this testimony of the Three Witnesses. On his own, Joseph Smith could fabricate as much nonsense as his heart could imagine, so to speak. But because he involved other people, we should take pause. If he was a fraud, what was in it for them to keep the charade going? Was it really in their own self-interest to have their good names attached to something they knew to be underhanded? Of course not.

THE PLOT THICKENS

However, the story of the Three Witnesses takes an interesting twist. All three of the men in the late 1830s, within ten years of seeing the plates and the angel, left Mormoni