[This material was taken directly from an old book printed
in 1920 by R.C. Evans. You should read the Preface which
presents his reasons making this material available to the public. Page numbers from the
original book are indicated in brackets.]
The Mormon Church has endeavoured, through her literature
and pulpit to persuade the people that the trouble between the United States and the
church was occasioned by the wickedness of the nation, as against the divinely
commissioned people of the Lord, that the righteousness of the Saints was a standing
rebuke to the corruption of the nation and hence the trouble, which resulted in the murder
of many people, the driving of the Saints from their lands and possessions, and the
assassination of their prophet, Joseph Smith.
We propose to open the pages of history with the hope that
the real facts may be disclosed and the truth be known to all men.
Joseph Smith and his people make certain claims, and have
endeavoured to put into operation the methods that will result in the destruction of the
United States Government, and not only that Government, but every other nation now
existing upon the earth, that upon the debris of all the nations of the earth, God
inspired Joseph Smith and his people to establish a kingdom, to which Christ would come
and reign therein forever.
Smith's First Vision.
Smith's first vision, said to have been given him when he was less than fifteen years of
age, is as follows: God and Christ came down to have a talk with Smith in the woods at the
rear of his father's farm. The Father begins the conversation by introducing his son,
Christ, to Smith in these words, "This is my beloved son, hear him." It seems
that the Father made the trip all the way from heaven just in order to have the great
privilege of introducing Jesus to Joseph, for there is no evidence that He spake
another word. Smith brushes aside all formalities and starts business at once by asking
the all important question in a young farmer lad of fifteen winters, "Which of
all the sects was right, and which I should join?" I was answered that I must join
none of them for they were all wrong, that all their creeds were an abomination in His
sight, that those professors were all corrupt: They drew near me with their lips, but
their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrine the commandments of men having a
form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof."
He informs us that after some further chat, they left and
he found himself lying on his back looking up into heaven. Church Hist., Vol.1, page 10.
If this vision is to be relied upon the following must be
conceded:
- First–Smith was not to join any church.[page 114]
- Second–The churches are all wrong.
- Third–All the creeds are abominable in the sight of
God.
- Fourth–Those professing to be Christians in those
churches or presenting the creeds, were all corrupt, a great mass of hypocrites,
denying the power of God and only giving him lip service while their hearts were
far from God."
Just take this in for a moment: Men and women who have
given their lives to promote Christianity, as they see it, they who have gone to the
jungles of Africa, to the darkness of China and Japan, those who have braved the
dangers of frontier life among the wild and savage tribes of America and the rest of the
world, those who have preached the gospel as they understood it, were all corrupt, their
teaching was an abomination in the sight of God; the mother who consecrated her
children to Christ in the evening twilight while they knelt at her knee, she was just
giving lip service while her heart was far from him, in other words, she was playing the
hypocrite.
This sweeping condemnation and anathematization of every
minister, layman, and church is characteristic of both Mormon literature and pulpit
utterance from that day to this, and it is only when they desire to obtain favor that they
withhold this cardinal principle of their faith.
Jesus Christ is supposed to have told Joseph Smith that he
was commissioned to "lay the foundation of this church-the only true and living
Church upon the face of the whole earth with which I the Lord am well pleased." Doc.
and Cov., 1, 5.
This is the faith of the Mormon, or Latter Day Saint
Church to this day, and every effort to cover this up is a manifestation of hypocrisy on
their part, and it is this that has caused them much trouble with the people in every part
of the world where they have attempted to establish a church.
They are taught that the church established by Smith is
the Kingdom of God, and that the other churches are the kingdom of the Devil. Doc. and
Cov., 3, 13, 87, 1-3.
Smith to Organize a Kingdom That Will Destroy
All Other Nations.
They have taught that Joseph Smith was directed by the Lord to set up the Kingdom, or
organize the church, and that it would never be destroyed, but that it should destroy all
other churches and kingdoms and that the judgments of the Lord would come upon all
churches and kingdoms, and that Smith and his people -"would triumph over all, and
Christ would come to them and reign with them in the place called Independence,
Missouri, but known in Smith's revelations as The City of Enoch, The New Jerusalem, and
Zion. In support of this they present the following from the Bible and the
revelations of Joseph Smith:
"And in the days of these kings shall the God of
heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, and the kingdom shall not be left
to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms and it shall
stand forever." Dan. 2, 44.[page 115]
"But the judgment shall set, and they shall
take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end, and the kingdom and the
dominion and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heavens shall be given to the
people of Saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all
dominions shall serve and obey him." Dan. 8, 26-27.
Smith says that Christ told him how the destruction of
these kingdoms will be accomplished. I cite but a few of the methods of
destructions.
"Wherefore I, the Lord, will send forth flies upon
the face of the earth which shall take hold of the inhabitants thereof, and shall eat
their flesh, and shall cause maggots to come in upon them, and their tongues shall be
stayed that they shall not utter against Me, and their flesh shall fall off
their bones, and their eyes from their sockets, and it shall come to pass that the beasts
of the forests and the fowls of the air ball devour them up, and that great and abominable
church, which is whore of all the earth, shall be cast down by devouring fire." Doc.
Cov., 28, 5.
"But verily I say unto you, that I have decreed a
decree which my people shall realize inasmuch as they hearken from this very hour, unto
the counsel which I the Lord will give unto them. Behold, they shall begin to prevail
against mine enemies from this very hour-and they shall never cease to prevail until
the Kingdoms of this world are under my feet and the earth is given unto the saints
to possess it forever and ever." Doc. and Cov., 100, 2.
Smith’s revelations show, not only that he was
to organize the only true church upon the earth, but the kingdom thus established would
destroy all other churches and the kingdoms of this world would be humbled till they
submitted to them and become the kingdoms of God, to be ruled over by his Saints, and in
order to start this great work He commanded them first to sell their property and collect
their wealth and all move. to the little village of Kirtland in the State of Ohio, there a
city would be built and a great temple erected.
"If thou lovest me thou shalt serve me and keep all
my commandments, and behold thou shalt consecrate all thy properties that which
thou hast unto me, with a covenant and a deed which cannot be broken, and
they shall be laid before the bishop of my church." B.C., 44, 26; Doc. and
Cov. 42, 8.
In a later edition of this book the word "all"
is taken out, and the word "of" inserted, but I have a copy of the
original revelation as first published. The change was made because many left the church
rather than give all their property to the church, but after the change was made
the authorities became strong enough to again secure a revelation on the same matter and
it says about the same thing, in fact the books agree on it:
"In answer to the question, O Lord, show unto
thy servants how much thou requirest of the properties of thy people for a tithing?
Verily, thus saith the Lord, I require all their surplus property to put into [page
116] the hands of the bishop of My church of Zion, for building of mine use, and
for the laying the foundation of Zion, and for the priesthood for the debts of the
Presidency of my church-and this shall be standing law unto them forever, saith the
Lord." Doc. and Cov. 106, 1; 42, 8, 9, 10; 101, 10-21; 51, 1-2; 72, 3.
So the people sold their property and travelled to their
sacred mecca, Kirtland, Ohio. The little burg was surveyed into city lots, a temple s
erected, in which Christ and several others from heaven talked to Smith and some others.
This city was to dazzle the world, be the wonder of the earth, Smith and many others
changed their names, Smith got three new names, viz.: Enoch, Gazelem and Baurake-Ale. He
and his relatives and friends secured their inheritance and built their homes, and started
a bank and run things with high hand, till many lost hope in both God and man, as well as
their property and left the church. Even William Smith, the prophet's brother denounced
him and gave him a sound good thrashing, but being a Smith he was forgiven. But the
trouble did not end here. Smith was tarred and feathered and finally left Kirtland on
horseback, king for a more congenial clime. I shall not take time and space to record all
this history, but shall give you the references and you may depend upon it every point
stated here is taken from their own books. Doc. and Cov., Sections 91, 92, 93, 100, 77;
Church Hist., Vol. 1, pages 240, 244; Vol. 1, pages 614, 624.
The next move to establish the Kingdom of God that was to
break pieces and destroy all other kingdoms, was made at the little town of Independence,
Jackson County, in the State of Missouri. This place was dedicated to the Lord, the temple
that Christ was to make His appearance in was to be built upon a certain lot, then a wild
bush covered with trees. This was consecrated with great pomp. The Lord was to give the
land unto His saints, for an everlasting inheritance, the wicked were to be driven out,
the besom of God's wrath was to be poured out upon them, and here Zion was to shine in all
its splendor. The pioneers who had secured the land from the government were told from
time to time that they were to get out, or the judgments of the Lord would overtake them.
Joseph Smith was directed by the Lord to write to the kings and presidents and rulers of
all the nations, they were to come to Zion, send their wealth there and be good as
directed by the revelations given through Smith or the or the time of judgment would soon
be upon them, the wrath of the Almighty would soon make an end of their wickedness and
rebellion. Doc. and Cov., 57, 77, 83, 45, 72, 107.
David Whitmer.
David Whitmer, one of the three witnesses to the Book of Mormon, and one of the first
six baptized into the new church, but who left the church in a few years never to return,
informs us that Smith was a fallen prophet, that his revelations were false, that he has
as much evidence that Joseph Smith had the revelation on polygamy, as he has to believe
that George Washington ever lived. He declared that the revelations of Smith fell into the
hands of the people of the world, and [page 117] that the people of Missouri saw by those
revelations that they were considered by the church as intruders upon the land of Zion,
and that soon an effort would be made to drive them forth. They called a meeting of the
citizens, and decided that it was either for them to drive the Mormons away, or the
Mormons would soon be strong enough to drive them from their homes. The fight started; the
Mormon printing press was destroyed, and some houses were torn down, and the Mormons
driven out of their Zion. Now, while we do not agree with much suffering caused by the
people as against helpless women and children, yet it must be admitted that the Mormons by
living up to the pretended revelations and instructions of Smith were to blame. Whitmer's
Address, 38, 54.
Smith Raised An Army.
Smith soon came out with revelations to fix up the trouble. God was going to vex the
nation and cut off the wicked, and the Saints were to return and obtain their property.
Doc. & Cov., 98, 12-23.
They would prevail against their enemies, and the kingdoms
of the world would soon crumble and the Saints were to come in to their everlasting
possessions, God's presence would be with them and when they cursed their enemies, God
would curse them too, while Joseph was to organize the kingdom. Doc. & Cov., 100,
1-6; 102, 1-9.
Now let us permit the son of the prophet to tell us what
his father was commanded to do. Joseph Smith, the prophet, raised an army to go to
Missouri, they numbered several hundred and started from Kirtland, Ohio, gathering in
number by the way. Their wagons were filled with food, clothing and munitions of war, they
marched over one thousand miles, walking by the side of their wagons, filled with war
material and food. "They provided themselves with fire-arms and all sorts of
munitions of war." While they were marching Joseph had made provisions with his
people in Missouri to erect a munitions plant in which they made swords, dirks,
pistols, rifles and other arms." During the long march, angels were often seen in
their camp, they tell that their feet were blistered and their stockings wet with
blood. The Lord protected them by sending large hailstones upon their enemies that made
holes in their hats. In describing the hailstones H. C. Kimball says they
were as large as hens' eggs, and Lyman Wight says some of them were as large as turkey
eggs. These hailstones never touched the brethren of the Lord, though at times they hit
the rifle stocks of the enemy and broke them. Now, these two witnesses were leading
apostles of the Lord, so we should believe them. Joseph says that the water of a little
river rose thirty feet in thirty minutes, and where the river was forty feet deep, the
evening before it was only up to our ankles.
The Governor of the State of Missouri was called up. He
advised the army to disband or there would be bloodshed, but Smith considered the Governor
a coward, and commanded his army to march on, that they would not make terms "with
land pirates and murderers," sweeping past Governor Dunklin, they soon ran up against
the sheriff, of the [page 118] county, Mr. Gillium. He tried to advise, but the army led
by Smith went forward to conquer.
Joseph Smith was a real Napoleon. He chose twenty men for
his life-guard, his brother Hyrum was captain, and George A. Smith was his armor bearer.
The kingdom of God was to be established in a hurry and the United States would be
remembered pity and contempt.
Cholera hit the camp, sixty-eight fell before it, Smith
being one of the smitten. Fourteen of the army died, they could not make coffins so they
wrapped them in blankets. The people were discouraged and many left the church, but Joseph
was ready with another revelation, and he told them the plague came because of
disobedience. He said, "Ye are
not willing to listen to my words, but have been in
rebellion, that God had decreed that sickness should come upon them, and they should die
like sheep with the rot." Then he sympathizingly said, "I am sorry, but I cannot
help it." For a full account read Church Hist., Vol. 1, 454-487.
Now to conclude this part of the story, let us ask, Did
God direct Smith to organize this army, erect munitions factories to manufacture pistols,
rifles, swords, dirk knives, and all kind of war munitions? Did God tell Smith to drag
those people over a thousand miles, send his angels, and floods and hail-stones like
turkey eggs to break the guns of their enemies? Did God request those poor people to
suffer all those deprivations and such sickness and death and then suffer them to make an
ignominious failure, or was it the man Smith that caused all this trouble?
Just think of the impudence of Smith, after these people
had suffered starvation, cold, sickness and death; after they had sold their property,
giving him the money; after they had followed him from their comfortable farms and city
homes in the eastern countries, while some of them look upon the dead faces of those they
loved in life, and amid their tears they laid them away without a coffin, for Smith to
tell them this death and agony was caused by the Lord because they had rebelled against
Smith in some little matters concerning camp life, and the wonder of it all was that many
of the poor deluded people still followed him, but many apostatized and exposed Smith, so
that hundreds left the church.
Many of them honestly believed that Smith was God’s
representative, in the establishing of the Kingdom of God that was to break in pieces the
United States and all other governments and bring them into subjection to his religion and
power, and because of their faith in his revelations, they went forth to conquer the
world.
Smith's Army Destroy Towns.
Herewith I submit the history of the Mormon war as told by the Governor of the State of
Missouri, under date of October 26, 1938-. General John B. Clark, 1st. Division Missouri
Militia.
Sir:-Application has been made to the Commander-in-Chief,
by the citizens of Daviess County, in this state, for protection and to be restored to
their homes and property, with intelligence that the Mormons [page 119] with an armed
force have expelled the inhabitants of that county from their homes, have pillaged and
burned their dwellings, driven off their stock, and were destroying their crops, that they
(the Mormons) have burned to ashes the towns of Gallatin and Miliport in said
county."
The letter continues to instruct the General to call out
his soldiers and go forthwith to the seat of the trouble.
The next morning he wrote the same General as follows:
"Since the order of the morning to you, directing you
to raise men, I naive received information of the most appalling character which changes
the whole face of things and places the Mormons in the attitude of open and avowed
defiance of the laws, and of having made open war upon the people of the State. Your
orders are, therefore, to hasten your operations 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." Church Hist., Vol.
2, pages 216-217.
I have given but t brief history of their conduct, but the
reader will remember this comes not from a mob, or some excited bigot, but from the
highest authority of the State of Missouri, the Governor, yet because the Mormons were
whipped in the fight and driven from the State, they have told the world they were
persecuted because they were Saints of the Lord, when the facts were, they were following
the revelations of Smith, with the thought that they were doing their duty in driving the
people from their homes in order that Zion would be built up. The people did not like the,
treatment, and refusing to be converted to Mormonism, they appealed to the United States
authorities, with the result that they were punished. Much more could be written, but we
think that a discerning public will have discovered by this brief history, the cause of
the trouble, and conclude the Mormons were the dupes of Smith.
Smith Foretells Destruction of United States.
After this terrible trouble in which many were killed on both
sides Smith claimed the Lord directed him to go to Washington to see the President of the
United States, and secure justice for himself and people. The President declined to submit
to the persuasions of Smith and his comrades, whereupon Smith still undaunted, comes forth
with the following:
"Now we shall endeavour to express our feeling and
views concerning the President, as we have been eye witnesses of his majesty. He is a
small man, sandy complexion, and ordinary features, with frowning brow and considerable
body, but not well proportioned, as to his arm and legs and to use his own words, is
"quite fat." On the whole we 'think he is without body or parts, as no one part
seems to be proportioned to another, therefore, instead of saying body and parts, we saw
body and party, or partyism, if you please to call it, and in fine to come directly to the
point, he is so much a fop or a fool (for he judged our cause before he knew it) we could
find no place to put trust in him. For a general [page 120] thing there is but little
solidity and honorable deportment among those who are sent here to represent the people,
but a great deal of pomposity and show." Church Hist., Vol. 2, page 397
He wrote the above from Washington, and on his arrival
home in the City of Nauvoo, he wrote the following of his judgment upon the people of the
United States, and the men in office, and shows the Lord told him a little secret, the
destruction of the United States; but let him speak:
"I arrived safely at Nauvoo, having witnessed many
vexatious movements in government officers, whose sole object should be the peace and
prosperity and happiness of the whole people, but instead of this, I discovered that
popular clamour and personal aggrandizement were the ruling principles of those in
authority, and my heart faints within me, when I see by the visions of the Almighty the
end of this nation, if she continues to disregard the cries and petitions of her
virtuous citizens, as she has done and is now doing. Church Hist., Vol. 2, page 419.
Missouri To Sink To Hell.
The above is in keeping with many other prophecies and visions, be claimed the Lord sent
him. Here is another: When J. C. Calhoun, who aspired to be president of the United
States, wrote to Smith, he replied: "Yet remember, if the Latter Day Saints are not
restored to all their rights, that God will come out of His hiding place and vex this
nation with a sore vexation, yea, the consuming wrath of an offended God shall
smoke through the nation with as much distress and woe as Independence has blazed through
with pleasure and delight. While I have power of body and mind, while water runs and grass
grows, white virtue is lovely and vice hateful, and while a stone points out a sacred spot
where a fragment of American liberty once was, I or my posterity will plead the cause of
injured innocence until Missouri makes atonement for all her sins, or sinks
disgraced, degraded and damned to hell, where the worm dieth not and the fire is not
quenched. Church Hist., Vol. 2, pages 710-711.
The Mormons have never lost an opportunity to speak
disparagingly of the United States and other governments, unless for cause, they, for the
time being, wished to secure some favor.
The above visions, prophecies and curses upon the United
States, have not injured that great country, she has prospered and become one of the
greatest nations upon the earth, and Missouri has blossomed into one of the most
magnificent of the Union. The nation never complied with Smith's demands, yet Missouri has
not sunk disgraced to hell, strange!
Smith Ordained King.
Some time after that as Smith saw the curses promised failed to materialize, he thought he
would try and run the nation himself. The Lord had made him Prophet, Seer, Translator and
Revelator of the church, he secured the right to be sole trustee of all the church
properties, [page 121] some say he was crowned a king, as was one of his successors in
office. This can hardly be denied as William Marks, the President of the High Council, and
the man who ordained young Joseph, and was his Counsellor says: "I was also witness
of the introduction (secretly) of a kingly form of government, in which Joseph suffered
himself to be ordained a king, to reign over the house of Israel forever." Saints'
Herald, Vol. 51, Jan. 27, 1904, page 73. "Ye shall have no king." D. C. 38, 5.
The Lord had made him His sole mouthpiece to this
generation; if any man would presume to go to law with him that man was cursed, so why not
run the nation, so he was proclaimed by a great gathering of his people to be a candidate
for the Presidency of the United States. He had a pull as Mayor of the city, and
General of the Nauvoo Legion, and so the Elders and Apostles were sent out to electioneer
for him, and he published a paper expressing his views, and asking for the vote of the
people, coming out as an independent ticket. The people smiled and Smith and his dupes
mounted the political stump, but that was all there was of it. For a more complete history
of this nonsense, read Church Hist., Vol.2, pages 713-726.
Smith Destroyed Printing Press.
This occurred in 1844, a few months after this, sworn evidence galore (which has been
published many times and lately by the writer) was printed by many of Smith's former
followers, including some of the leading men of the church, showing that Smith was guilty
of crimes. He had been charged with having revelations on polygamy, and having many wives
and concubines, and that he had insulted both young maidens and married women, and their
husbands, fathers and brothers (strange as it may appear) did not seem to excuse the
Prophet. When they complained they say their lives were in danger, by reason of his Danite
Band, sworn to kill his enemies. Well, they published a paper, filling the first edition
with their affidavits. This was too much for Smith. As Mayor he called the people
together, and decided to destroy the property and they went at it and destroyed the press
and threw the type and other materials into the streets. The proprietors fled for their
lives. Smith in time was called to answer before the law, and while in jail he was shot to
death by a number of people who broke into the jail.
His son tries to excuse his father of this dastardly
attempt upon the liberty of the people, by saying: "In the evening of the day
that the Expositor press and material was destroyed, a crowd gathered on Main Street and
among them was the Mayor, my father. I heard my father's voice, measured and
clear, "What ever you may think about it, you have this day made me do, in my
official capacity as your officer, an act that I believe we shall all be sorry for and
that will make us great trouble hereafter." Joseph the Prophet, page 746.
I am sorry that his son was weak enough to try to cover up
his father's guilt. His apology only reveals another contemptible trait in his father's
character. That father held the positions of Prophet, Seer, Revelator, Translator, sole
trustee of all church property, God's mouthpiece [page 122] to the church, the only man in
the world who could give revelations for the government of the church, his word was law,
none dare oppose it under the penalty of a curse, he was mayor of the city, general of the
Nauvoo Legion of soldiers, yet having his base and wicked life bared before the world in
that paper, his polygamy and infidelity, be had the press destroyed, and then was low and
mean and cowardly enough to try and throw the blame on the poor dupes who had obeyed his
command.
Soon after the printing establishment referred to was
destroyed and the proprietors had fled from the city to save their lives, and Smith as his
own son admits, tried to throw the blame for his dastardly act upon his followers, those
interested travelled to the county seat and obtained a writ for his arrest, and with
others Smith and his brother fled from the state. It is said that this affected some of
their followers, and they were by some considered cowards, to escape from the state, in
place of facing the courts. So they returned to Nauvoo appeared before the judge, and were
placed under bail to appear at the next term of the Circuit Court.
Smith Arrested on The Charge of Treason
Against The State of Illinois.
The same day they were arrested on a charge of treason against the state of Illinois, and
were committed to jail. Church Hist., Vol. 2, pages 737-744.
The people of the State knowing that Smith had men and
money at his command, knowing that he had escaped from the State of Missouri when charged
with treason and that he had escaped from the State of Ohio under several serious
charges, and, that many other times he had escaped from justice, concluded to take care of
him this time, so the mob came, overpowered the jail guards, some entered the jail, while
others remained outside to get him if he jumped from the open window, which he eventually
did.
The mob fired several shots through the panel of the door,
killing Hyrum Smith, and wounding John Taylor.
Now let us have a look at the other side of Joseph Smith.
He was Prophet, Seer, Revelator, Translator, Sole Trustee of church property,
President of the Church, God's sole mouthpiece to the church, General of the Nauvoo
Legion, Mayor of the city, and had lately been crowned king. It is said that he was more
like Christ than any man who ever lived, "that he did more for the salvation of men
in this world than any man that ever lived in it, save Jesus only." One of the,
poetesses wrote of him as follows:
"Great men have fall'n, and mighty men have died-
Nations have mourn'd their favorites and their pride,
But two so wise, so virtuous, great and good,
Before on earth, at once, have never stood."
This was written by E. R. Snow on Joseph and Hyrum Smith.
Miss [page 123] Snow swore she was one of Joseph Smith's wives. Her brother, an apostle
under Smith, and who became President of the Utah Mormon church, told me he knew that his
sister was a plural wife to Joseph Smith, and that he had taught him polygamy. He died
confirming this statement.
A few days before his death Smith is reported to have
said: "I am going like a lamb to the slaughter." This was to show that he would
meet death like Jesus did, The Lamb of God. Isaiah 53: 7.
Let us see if he did die like Christ. They have published
in their own history that he had a six shooter pistol concealed on his
person, and when his brother was shot through the closed door "Joseph reached his
pistol through the door, which was pushed a little ajar, and fired three of the barrels,
the rest missed fire. He killed two men and shot the arm of a third man." His
brethren boast of this act, and say: "In him was the spirit of dauntless bravery
exemplified." Reorganized Church journal of History, Oct. 1918, pages 399-416.
During the last hour of Smith's life, he gave the jail
guard money to buy wine, pipes and tobacco." Joseph the Prophet, pages 522-523.
The facts show that Smith had been leading a life of
hypocrisy and crime. Thousands of his faithful and most prominent followers had discovered
his infamy, and left him, and from time to time exposed him. At the time of his death he
was under arrest for treason against the State, and other charges were pending
against him and his attempt to destroy all national governments and set up what he called
the Kingdom of God on earth, had failed. When in the, midst of his wine, tobacco and
murder he attempted to escape from the jail window, when he was shot dead.
I ask. was there anything in all this to show that he lived
and died like Christ, Christ was the "Lily of the Valley," "the one
altogether lovely." He was innocent of any crime. he was the personification of
honor. The synonym of virtue and true manhood. He destroyed no printing press, debauched
no maidens, never invaded the sacred precincts of other men’s homes to destroy the
womanhood of the Country. Had no revelations permitting whoredoms, concubinage and
polygamy. Nor did he spend His last hour with wine and tobacco while -he, murdered two men
and spent His last moment trying to kill more. The effort made to compare Smith with the "Holy
One" is the worst form of blasphemy. Words fail me to express my feelings on the
matter so we draw the curtain over the dark picture.
The Reorganized Church Are Against The United
States.
Since the death of Smith, his followers have continued their tirade of abuse and slander
against the Government of the United States, and are still looking for the
judgments of God to come upon that nation because of their treatment of the prophet and
his kingdom. They at times make speeches and hoist "Old Glory," but they do that
for a purpose as I have already shown and will continue to show.
I herewith submit part of an article written on the murder
of Joseph [page 124] Smith, published in October, 1918, showing they still desire to
educate their people along the same old lines against the United States. They may say it
is but a reprint of that published years ago, that may be true, but if that is not their
sentiments today, why republish it to the grand-children of those formerly concerned.
Their faith in Joseph Smith, his prophecies of the United States and all other kingdoms
and the final triumph of the Mormon kingdoms is unchanged."
"Shades of hell," we turn to you. Unroll the
ponderous scroll of your grand secretary that chronicle of all the deeds of bloody crime,
heartless villany and depravity that have marked the world's history from the death of
righteous Abel, and see if they all afford a: parallel with the crime of the last fifteen
years, committed in a boasted age of civilization, religion and liberty
Farewell to liberty, farewell to the rights of man,
farewell to the institutions of a boasted republic, farewell to our glorious constitution,
adieu to the blood of illustrious fathers, farewell to virtue, honesty, peace, tranquility
and national happiness, farewell to the dulcet songs of freedom that were wont to animate
the sons of Columbia, farewell to the Stars and Stripes of our national banner,
that falsely tell the oppressed, as they float in the harbors of foreign climes that
America is a land of liberty. These have passed away and become the things that were, and
now are not. The bubble that contained them all floated for time upon the surface
of a quiet sea, but the tempest has broken out in its fury. The bubble has burst and they
have flown, and soon the judgments of the Great God will wind up the scene, and spread
the pall of darkness and desolation over the relics of a ruined world that blood will not
be easy to wash out." Journal of History, published by the Reorganized Church,
Vol. 2, Oct. 1918, pages 425-426.
Hear the prophecy of one of the former apostles of the
Mormon hierarchy:
"The day will come when the United States government
and all others will be uprooted and the kingdoms of this world will be united in one and
the kingdom of our God (which means the Mormon hierarchy will govern the whole
earth and have universal sway."
This certainly reveals a very clearly defined purpose. The
leaders of the organization have never changed this definite purpose nor halted for one
single day in their effort to accomplish that purpose. They have changed their methods of
procedure as frequently as the exigency demanded but the one purpose has been ever before
them. The court records of Salt Lake City reveal the persistent effort of the Mormons to
rid themselves of the authority of our government. These records were printed and given to
the public at the time of the Smoot investigation. After hearing the startling testimony
of many witnesses Judge Anderson returned the following findings in reference to the
claims of the Mormon Church
- "It claims to be the actual and veritable kingdom of
God on earth; not in its fullness because Christ has not yet come to rule in person; [page
125] but for the present He rules through the priesthood of the church who are the
vice-regents of God."
- "This kingdom is both a temporal and spiritual kingdom
and should rightfully control and is entitled to the highest allegiance of men in all
their affairs."
- "That this kingdom will overthrow the United States
and all other governments after which Christ will return in person." Christian
Statesman, page. 84, Feb., 1920.
Having compiled this short history of the Mormon Church
and Kingdom which shows from their own works that Smith was ordained a king, that said
kingdom was to break in pieces all other kingdoms and stand forever. That Smith's revelations instructed him to organize an
army to work destruction, defeat the United States and establish his headquarters in
Missouri, that he and his people worked to that end till he was shot while in the act of
committing murder, and that his people to date believe that their kingdom is yet to
triumph in the destruction of the United States and all other kingdoms, as shown by
Smith's prophecies. I leave the subject with you, asking that you ponder what my fate will
be unless protected by the Almighty and his people. I thank God my eyes are opened and I
feel called upon to let the world know something of the horrible thralldom from which I
have been rescued. Thousands now feel that my sudden death would be a benediction to the
Mormon church and that perhaps the time has come "That whosoever killeth you will
think that he doeth God's service."
Having proved that both the original Mormon church and the
Reorganized Mormon church both teach that God revealed to them that Zion was to be
organized in Independence, Missouri, that was to be the only place of safety from
pestilence and war, the place where Christ should come, it remains for me to prove that
the present head of the Church, still believes and teaches that Zion must yet be
established to make ready for the destruction of the United States, and coming of Christ.
I submit his latest prophecy of the soon approach of the destruction of the United States,
as prophesied by his grandfather, Joseph Smith.
"I wonder how long it will be till we have Zion, my
concern has been intensified of late. Forces are at work which threaten our
government and the men at Washington know this well, discord and chaos are liable to
break out over night and the institutions upon which we lean for our safeguard may
crumble, and our protection be weakened, I wish I could tell you some of the things I
feel I know; and the great concern that has stirred me at times is, when that time
of chaos comes will this people be prepared to furnish the place of safety God has
intended that we should." F. M. Smith, Herald, March 3rd, 1920, page 193.
Chapter 9: Order of Enoch
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