Was Joseph Smith Sent of God?

WAS JOSEPH SMITH SENT OF GOD?

Fourth.—Joseph Smith not only professes, through the medium of angels, to have received a dispensation of the gospel, and the power and authority of the apostle­ship, but he also professes to have received, through revelation and commandment from God, a dispensation for the gathering of the Saints from all nations. Now the doctrine of the gathering of the Saints in the last days must either be false or true; if false, then J. Smith must be an impostor. It matters not how correct he may have been in all other points of his system if this one point—the doctrine of the gathering—be false, he must be a deceiver. Why? Because he professes to have received this doctrine by direct revelation and commandment. On the other hand, if the doctrine of the gathering of the Saints be a true doctrine and scriptu­ral, this will be another presumptive evidence that Mr. Smith was sent of God.

Now a doctrine may be true and not be scriptural; as for example, Newton's doctrine or law of universal gravitation is a true doctrine, but not a scriptural one; that is, it can neither be proved nor disproved by the scriptures. So, Noah’s doctrine of gathering into an ark—Lot’s doctrine of fleeing out of Sodom—Christ's doctrine to depart out of Jerusalem, and flee to the mountains to escape destruction, were all true, but neither of them could be proved or disproved by any scripture given to any of the former prophets. So likewise Mr. Smith's doctrine of the gathering of the Saints in the last days might be true, even though there should be no former scripture that predicted such an event; but in this case such a doctrine would be no evidence that Mr. Smith, who advocated it, was sent of God; but if such a doctrine can be proved to be a scriptural doctrine, that is, if the gathering of the Saints was predicted in ancient scriptures as an event to take place in a certain age, in a certain way, and through certain means, and Mr. Smith comes in that age, professing to have a message to gather the Saints in such way, and by such means as the scriptures have foretold, then the exact and perfect agreement between the professed message of Mr. Smith, and the scriptural predictions relating to such a message or work, would be a presumptive evidence of great weight in favor of his divine mission.

The doctrine of the gathering of the people of God, including Israel, is one so clearly predicted by the inspired writers, that it seems almost superfluous to refer to the numerous passages relating to it. The dispensation in which the people of God were to be gathered in one, is called by the apostle Paul, “the dispensation of the fulness of times;” which he represents as being an event then in the future. John, nearly one hundred years after the birth of our Saviour, saw the wonderful events and sceneries of unborn generations displayed in majestic and awful gran­deur before him. He saw the churches of Asia, then under his own personal watch-­care, lukewarm, corrupted, and about ready to be moved out of their place. He saw the universal apostacy that was soon to succeed and hold dominion for ages over all kindreds and tongues, under the name of the mother of harlots—the great Babylon that should make all nations drunk with her wickedness. He saw that after the nations had been thus overwhelmed in thick darkness for ages, without the church of God, without apostles, without prophets, without the ministering of angels, without one cheering message from heaven, that there would be one more proclamation of mercy made to all people—one more dispensation of glad tidings from the heavens, to be ushered in by an angel restoring the everlasting gospel, which was to receive a universal proclamation to all the inhabitants of the earth, accompanied with a loud cry, that “the hour of God's judgment is come.” He saw the universal proclamation of this warning message immediately followed by another angel, proclaiming the complete overthrow and downfall of Babylon. Between the interval of the flying of these two angels, he “heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues; for her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.” Remember, that this voice, commanding the people to come out of Babylon, was to be a “voice from heaven.” It was not to be a cunningly devised plan of uninspired man, brought about by human ingenuity, but it was to be a voice from heaven—a message sent from God —a new revelation, commanding the Saints to come out of Babylon previous to its downfall. How came Mr. Smith, if an impostor, to get, not only all the other particulars which we have mentioned, perfectly exact, but also to discover that there must be a gathering of the Saints out of Babylon, and that that work must immediately follow the introduction of the gospel by an angel? Why did he not say, My doctrine is true, and if you will embrace it, you can be saved, and still remain where you are? It matters not how correct his doctrine might have been in all other points, if he had told his disciples to remain among the corrupt nations, and not gather together— this alone would have exposed the cloven foot, and proved him to be a deceiver. Swedenborg, Wesley, Irving, and a numerous host of others, during the last seventeen hundred years, have entirely neglected the gathering, which proves that they were without authority—that a dispensation o the gospel was never commited to them—that the voice from heaven to come out of Babylon had never saluted their ears. Previous to the restoration of the gospel by an angel, God had no people in Babylon, and therefore could not call them out. An unauthorised, uninspired priesthood, preaching a perverted gospel, never could raise up a people of God in Babylon; for they themselves are Babylon, and all their converts or children are begotten after their own likeness with Babylonish inscriptions upon their foreheads. It is only when the gospel, apostleship, and power are again restored in the way and manner predicted, that a people of God can be raised up among the nations. It is then, and not till then, that the voice is heard from heaven, calling that people out from among the nations. Mr. Smith did not forget this. It is marvellously strange, indeed, that he should be an impos­tor, and yet embrace in his system every particular that was to characterise the great dispensation of the latter times. It matters not how diverse the points of his doctrine were to the popular doctrines current among the great modern systems of religion. He seems to have introduced his system without paying the least regard as to what would be popular or unpopular—as to whether it would suit the learned or the unlearned—as to whether it would suit the temporal circumstances of man or not. He did not stop to make the enquiry whether the gathering of the Saints would be congenial to the feelings of those who occupied splendid mansions, upon fine farms, surrounded with every luxury of life. He did not stop to consider any of those things, but spoke as one having authority; saying, “thus saith the Lord," upon every point of doctrine which he promulgated. Now, for a young man, inexperienced and illiterate, to profess to give the word of the Lord upon subjects of so great a moment—to reveal doctrines which were directly opposed, not only to his own traditions, but to the teachings and doctrines of the most popular, numer­ous, and powerful sects of the day, and at the same time have those doctrines exactly accord, not only with the ancient gospel, but with every minute prediction relative to the dispensation of the last days—is an evidence that carries truth upon the face of it, and leaves a deep and lasting impression upon every reflecting mind, and we can hardly refrain from assenting in our hearts, that surely he must have been sent of God.

Fifth.—What else besides the “everlasting gospel” does the Book of Mormon profess to contain? It professes to contain a brief but faithful history of a small branch of the tribe of Joseph, and the revelations given to them both before and after Christ, written by a succession of prophets who were the literal descendants of Joseph; hence it professes to be, in the full sense of the word, the writings or records of the tribe of Joseph. It contains numerous and pointed predictions, shewing expressly that the age in which their records should, by the power of God, be revealed to the nations, should also be the day in which Israel should be gathered; and that their records, in conjunction with the records of the Jews, should be the powerful instruments in the hands of the servants of God in bringing about that great work. Now, how does this accord with the word of the Lord to Ezekiel upon the same subject? Ezekiel was commanded to write upon two sticks, one for Judah, and the other for Joseph; after which he was commanded to join them together into one. And when the children of Israel should make enquiry what these two united writings of Judah and Joseph meant, he was to say unto them, that the Lord God would join the writings of Joseph with those of Judah; immediately after which he would take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they were gone, and would gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: and that he would make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and that one king should be king to them all; and that they should no more be two nations or kingdoms. Ezekiel testifies that the writings of Joseph should be joined with the writings of Judah. Mr. Smith presents this generation with a book, consisting of several hundred pages, professing to be the sacred writings of the inspired prophets of the tribe of Joseph, who anciently inhabited the great western hemisphere. Ezekiel testifies that Israel should be gathered, never again to be scattered, immediately after the union of these two records, The professed record of Joseph, brought to light by Mr. Smith, testifies, in the most positive language, that this is the age in which Israel shall be gathered through the instrumentality of the word and power of God, contained in the two records. Ezekiel uttered the prediction. Mr. Smith presents a professed fulfilment. This is another presumptive evidence in favor of the divine authority of his mission; for if the gathering of Israel had not been included in the mission of Mr. Smith, as an important part of the great work of the last dispensation, all would have had good reason for rejecting him without further inquiry. The ministering of an angel—the restoration of the gospel—the conferring of the apostleship—the setting up of the kingdom of God—the gathering of the Saints—the revelation of the record of Joseph, and its union with the Jewish record—and the restoration of all the house of Israel to their own lands—are the wonderful events to be fulfilled in the great “dispensation of the fulness of times.” Whatever person or persons are divinely commissioned to usher in that dispensation, must have the keys of authority to perform every work pertaining thereunto. If Joseph Smith had included all those remarkable events in his mission, excepting one; then that one exception would be sufficient to prove him to be acting without authority. But where, we ask, is there one exception? What particular event or circumstance pertaining to the dispensation, of which he professed to hold the keys, has he excluded from his system? Did John predict the restoration of the gospel by an angel? It is included in Mr. Smith’s system. Did John predict that the Saints should receive a message from heaven, command­ing them to come out of Babylon? It also is included in the system of Joseph Smith, and the Saints are now obeying it. Did Ezekiel predict the final gathering of Israel as an immediate result of the union of the two records of Joseph and Judah? Mr. Smith also includes this in his system. The two records are already united in their testimony. and will soon accomplish the purpose for which they were sent forth. What then is lacking? Is there any of the prophets, or inspired writers of ancient times, who have pointed out some other way for the latter day dispensation to be brought about? Can any man show that the gospel will not be restored by an angel, or that the Saints will not be called out of Babylon by a message from heaven? or that the record of the tribe of Joseph will not be joined with the Jewish record—the Bible? or that Israel will not be gathered to their own lands through the instrumentality of more revelation? or that the kingdom of God will not be set up in the latter days to break in pieces all other kingdoms? or that apostles and prophets will not be restored to the earth as in ancient times? If all these things are possible, probable, and scriptural—if all these events must come to pass in their time, and in the manner predicted—can any one show that this is not the time? that the Book of Mormon is not the record of Joseph, about which Ezekiel prophesied? Can any one show any cause why Joseph Smith should not receive the ministering of an angel? why he should not be ordained an apostle, or prophet, or receive revelations and commandments from God? If the gospel is to be restored by an angel, it must be restored at the first to some person. Why not that person be Mr. Smith? If the records of two different tribes are to be joined in one, why not the Book of Mormon and the Bible be the two records? and why not Mr. Smith be the instrument in the hands of God in fulfilling this prophecy? If these things are not the fulfilment of those ancient predictions, will the generation that lives when they do come to pass be any more believing than they are at present in this work? Will they be any more ready to receive new revelations, visions, angels, or ancient sacred records than they are now? When God sets up his kingdom, will mankind be any more willing to receive the apostles, prophets, and inspired officers of that kingdom, than they are now? One thing is certain; if the angel has not come—if the gospel is not restored—if the records of Joseph are not revealed—then there is no kingdom of God on the earth, no authority to preach or administer ordinances among men; all is gross darkness— all is uncertainty—and our only alternative is to wait till the voice of the angel is heard, till the great work of the last dispensation is ushered in. But will we then receive it? Will not our prejudices be as great then as they are now against Mr. Smith? Are there any qualifications that Mr. Smith should possess that he did not possess? Were there any doctrines which he advocated adverse to scriptural doctrine? Were there any principles connected with his system inconsistent with the prophecies? If then perfection characterizes every doctrine embraced in the great scheme of this modern prophet, who can say that he was not sent of God? Who dare oppose so great and perfect a system, without the least shadow of evidence to prove its falsity? Who so lost to every sense of reason and sound judgment, as not to perceive an overwhelming evidence flowing in from every quarter to establish the divine mission of Joseph Smith? Who that has examined his mission or system impartially, can bring even one evidence against it? Are we not bound then to yield, at least, our faith on the side of evidence? What excuse then can the learned, and great, and wise of the earth, render for opposing a work of so great importance with nought but ridicule, and slander, and vile reproaches? Let them bring forth their strong reasonings, or else let them hear, and say, it is truth.

(To be continued.)