The Story of Mormonism and The Philosophy of Mormonism | Page 2

and in all ways as important a place
as does this man in the development of "Mormonism." The earnest
investigator, the sincere truth-seeker, can ignore neither the man nor his
work; for the Church under consideration has risen from the testimony
solemnly set forth and the startling declarations made by this person,
who, at the time of his earliest announcements, was a farmer's boy in
the first half of his teens. If his claims to ordination under the hands of
divinely commissioned messengers be fallacious, forming as they form
the foundation of the Church organization, the superstructure cannot
stand; if, on the other hand, such declarations be true, there is little
cause to wonder at the phenomenally rapid rise and the surprising
stability of the edifice so begun.
Joseph Smith was born at Sharon, Vermont, in December, 1805. He
was the son of industrious parents, who possessed strong religious
tendencies and tolerant natures. For generations his ancestors had been
laborers, by occupation tillers of the soil; and though comfortable
circumstances had generally been their lot, reverses and losses in the
father's house had brought the family to poverty; so that from his
earliest days the lad Joseph was made acquainted with the pleasures
and pains of hard work. He is described as having been more than
ordinarily studious for his years; and when that powerful wave of
religious agitation and sectarian revival which characterized the first
quarter of the last century, reached the home of the Smiths, Joseph with
others of the family was profoundly affected. The household became
somewhat divided on the subject of religion, and some of the members
identified themselves with the more popular sects; but Joseph, while
favorably impressed by the Methodists in comparison with others,
confesses that his mind was sorely troubled over the contemplation of

the strife and tumult existing among the religious bodies; and he
hesitated. He tried in vain to solve the mystery presented to him in the
warring factions of what professed to be the Church of Christ. Surely,
thought he, these several churches, opposed as they are to one another
on what appear to be the vital points of religion, cannot all be right.
While puzzling over this anomaly he chanced upon this verse in the
epistle of St. 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."
In common with so many others, the earnest youth found here within
the scriptures, admonition and counsel as directly applicable to his case
and circumstances as if the lines had been addressed to him by name. A
brief period of hesitation, in which he shrank from the thought that a
mortal like himself, weak, youthful, and unlearned, should approach
the Creator with a personal request, was followed by a humble and
contrite resolution to act upon the counsel of the ancient apostle. The
result, to which he bore solemn record (testifying at first with the
simplicity and enthusiasm of youth, afterward confirming the
declaration with manhood's increasing powers, and at last voluntarily
sealing the testimony with his life's blood,) proved most startling to the
sectarian world--a world in which according to popular belief no new
revelation of truth was possible. It is a surprising fact that while growth,
progress, advancement, development of known truths and the
acquisition of new ones, characterize every living science, the sectarian
world has declared that nothing new must be expected as direct
revelation from God.
The testimony of this lad is, that in response to his supplication, drawn
forth by the admonition of an inspired apostle, he received a divine
ministration; heavenly beings manifested themselves to him--two,
clothed in purity, and alike in form and feature. Pointing to the other,
one said, "This is my beloved Son, hear Him." In answer to the lad's
prayer, the heavenly personage so designated informed Joseph that the
Spirit of God dwelt not with warring sects, which, while professing a
form of godliness, denied the power thereof, and that he should join

none of them. Overjoyed at the glorious manifestation thus granted
unto him, the boy prophet could not withhold from relatives and
acquaintances tidings of the heavenly vision. From the ministers, who
had been so energetic in their efforts to convert the boy, he received, to
his surprise, abuse and ridicule. "Visions and manifestations from
God," said they, "are of the past, and all such things ceased with the
apostles of old; the canon of scripture is full; religion has reached its
perfection in plan, and, unlike all other systems contrived or accepted
by human kind, is incapable of development or growth. It is true God
lives, but He cares not for His children of modern times as He did for
those of ancient