joseph as a restorer as well as a prophet—the book of abraham—joseph's growth into scholarship and statesmanship—difficulties with william smith.
joseph smith was not only a prophet but a reformer—as able as luther, as bold as zwingli. and he was more than a reformer. he was a restorer—the greatest in his personality and in the character of his work since the day of the divine atonement.
through him even the buried past reaches up to the listening present, and the distant future bends down to this gazing age. his work in revealing hidden truths spans the circle of all earthly time—stretching from the decree by which the world was rolled into space unto the moment when it shall become a purified and exalted sphere. this comprehension was the divine gift to the predestined martyr.
through him had been revealed the hidden truths concerning prehistoric america. from the hour when joseph gave to the world the book of mormon, all ignorance concerning the ancient inhabitants of this land became wilful. then his labor of restoration reached another hemisphere and a remoter time.
abraham, the friend of god, abraham who died thirty-six centuries ago, abraham who was buried in the cave of machpelah, spoke through the modern prophet, his descendant; and the manner of that communication so manifestly shows the overruling hand of providence that no one can doubt the divine direction.
while joseph had been laboring in kirtland, journeying to and from missouri, teaching his brethren and being taught of god, there were moving to him from one of the catacombs of egypt the writings of father abraham and of joseph who was governor in egypt.
on the 7th day of june, 1831, a french traveler and explorer penetrated the depths of a catacomb near the site of ancient thebes. it had cost him time and treasure and influence to make the entrance. after securing the license to make his researches, he employed more than four hundred men for a period of some months to make the necessary excavation. when he was able at last to stand within this multiplied tomb he found several hundred mummies; but only eleven of them were in such a state that they could be removed. he carried them away, but died on his voyage to paris. by his will the mummies were bequeathed to michael h. chandler, his nephew, and in search of this gentleman they were sent through ireland and finally across the sea. after two years of wanderings they found their owner. hoping to discover some treasure of precious stones or metals, mr. chandler opened the coffins or embalming cases. attached to two of the bodies were rolls of linen preserved with the same care and apparently by the same method as the bodies. within the linen coverings were rolls of papyrus bearing a perfectly preserved record in black and red characters carefully formed. with other of the bodies were papyrus strips bearing epitaphs and astronomical calculations. the learned men of philadelphia and other places flocked to see these representatives of an ancient time, and mr. chandler solicited their translation of some of the characters. even the wisest among them were only able to interpret the meaning of a few of the signs. from the very moment when he discovered the rolls, mr. chandler had heard that a prophet lived in the west who could decipher strange languages and reveal things hidden; and after failing with all the learned, and having parted with seven of the mummies and some few strips of papyrus, bearing astronomical figures, he finally reached kirtland and presented himself to joseph with the four remaining bodies, and with the rolls of manuscript. the prophet, under inspiration of the almighty, interpreted some of the ancient writings to mr. chandler's satisfaction. so far as the learned men of philadelphia had been able to translate, joseph's work coincided with theirs; but he went much further, and in his delight mr. chandler wrote a letter to the prophet certifying to this effect.
later some of the friends of the prophet purchased the four mummies, with the writings. joseph engaged assiduously to interpret from the rolls and strips of papyrus. the result of his labor was to give the world a translation of the book of abraham. this book was written by the hand of abraham while he was in egypt, and was preserved by the marvelous dispensation of providence, through all the mutations of time and dangers of distance, to reach the hand of god's prophet in this last dispensation. by this record the father of the faithful makes known what the lord almighty had shown to him concerning the things that were before the world was; and he declares that he did penetrate the mysteries of the heavens even unto kolob, the star which is nearest the throne of god the eternal one.
in the record of joseph who was sold into egypt is given a prophetic representation of the judgment, the savior is shown seated upon his throne, crowned and holding the sceptres of righteousness and power; before him are assembled the twelve tribes of israel and all the kingdoms of the world; while michael the archangel holds the key to the bottomless pit in which satan has been chained.
at the time when joseph, aided by the inspiration of the almighty, was enabled to make these translations, he was studying ancient languages and the grandest sciences, while he was also imparting instruction in the school of the brethren in kirtland, that others than himself might have their minds fitted to grasp the sublimities of truth in theology and history and the laws governing the universe. joseph was now in his thirtieth year and was no longer an unlearned farmer lad. he was the leader of the people by the command of heaven, and he was the leader of the people by his growing intellectual greatness. the prophet had already become a scholar. he loved learning. he loved knowledge for its righteous power. through the tribulations which had surrounded him from the day when first he made known to a skeptical world his communion with the heavens, he had been ever advancing in the acquisition of intelligence. the lord had commanded him to study, and he was obeying. such branches of learning as he knew not, teachers were employed to communicate. his mind, quickened by the holy spirit, grasped with readiness all true principles, and one by one he mastered these branches and became in them a teacher.
joseph smith was the head of a committee which had been appointed in september, 1834, to compile the doctrines of the church for publication. and in kirtland, at a general assembly held on the 17th day of august, 1835, that committee reported by presenting the book of doctrine and covenants to the church for the approval of the congregation. solemn testimonies were given of the truth of the work and of the inspiration by which joseph smith had uttered the revelations from on high. the testimony of the twelve on this subject closed as follows:
the lord has borne record to our souls, through the holy ghost shed forth upon us, that these commandments were given by inspiration of god, and are profitable for all men, and are verily true. we give this testimony unto the world, the lord being our helper: and it is through the grace of god, the father, and his son jesus christ, that we are permitted to have this privilege of bearing this testimony unto the world, in the which we rejoice exceedingly, praying the lord always, that the children of men may be profited thereby.
at the same time there was presented and accepted the tenet of the church concerning government and laws in which the following passages occur, showing that thus early in his career the prophet's mind was trained in true statesmanship and social philosophy:
we believe that governments are instituted of god for the benefit of man, and that he holds men accountable for their acts in relation to them, both in making laws or administering them, for the good and safety of society.
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we believe that no government can exist in peace, except such laws are framed and held inviolate as will secure to each individual the free exercise of conscience, the right and control of property, and the protection of life.
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we believe that religion is instituted of god, and that men are answerable to him, and him only, for the exercise of it, unless their religious opinions prompt them to infringe upon the rights and liberties of others; but we do not believe that human law has a right to interfere in prescribing rules of worship to bind the consciences of men, nor dictate forms for public or private devotion; that the civil magistrate should restrain crime, but never control conscience; should punish guilt, but never suppress the freedom of the soul.
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we believe that rulers, states, and governments have a right, and are bound to enact laws for the protection of all citizens in the free exercise of their religious belief; but we do not believe that they have a right in justice, to deprive citizens of this privilege, or proscribe them in their opinions, so long as a regard and reverence is shown to the laws, and such religious opinions do not justify sedition nor conspiracy.
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we do not believe it is just to mingle religious influence with civil government, whereby one religious society is fostered, and another proscribed in its spiritual privileges, and the individual rights of its members as citizens denied.
the prophet was not present at the assembly, as he was visiting saints in michigan; but his hand was manifest in its proceedings, for he had all the time led in preparing the book for presentation to the church.
with his staunch advocacy of truth, and his unyielding adherence to the commandments of god, joseph was ever merciful to the weak and the erring. during the summer of 1835, he was laboring in councils and meetings in kirtland and vicinity, and was chosen to take part in the proceedings against several members who were to be tried for utterances made against the presidency of the church. whether it fell to his lot to plead the cause of the accused or to prosecute, though he himself might have been the one who was wronged, he acted with so much tenderness and justice that he won the love of all.
at this time he labored under serious financial distress. the performance of the work laid upon him demanded many expenditures, and often it seemed that he would be involved in inextricable embarrassment. but the way was constantly opened to him. his brethren were kind and charitable, many of them presenting him or loaning him sums sufficient for the performance of his labors and to meet all his engagements; and all of these he blessed with the gratitude of his soul, and was especially scrupulous to pay at the time agreed upon.
joseph was a dutiful son; his strong affection for his parents was ever a marked feature in his character. in the early part of october, 1835, his father was ill; and, though the prophet was performing wearisome toil in traveling, preaching and other duties—exposed to chilling storms—he watched and waited on his parent with the utmost humility and tenderness. on the 10th day of october, the elder joseph was failing very fast, so much that his life was despaired of. the prophet prayed in secret most earnestly that his father's life might be spared, and on the morning of sunday, the 11th of october, while he was still upon his knees, the lord said to him:
"my servant, thy father shall live."
that night father smith arose and dressed himself and shouted and praised the lord for his recovery.
one of the most sorrowful passages in the prophet's life opens with the 29th day of october, 1835. joseph's brother william was a man of violent temper which he had not then nor ever afterwards subdued. though not destitute of qualities, which, if properly used, would have made him a useful and noble man, he was willful and headstrong, and so impatient of contradiction and rebuke that he often forgot his own high station as an apostle of the lord jesus christ, and forgot the kindness of his brother joseph and the deference due him as a prophet of god. on the day mentioned, at a high council meeting, william abused joseph in violent terms because of a just ruling made by the prophet. the noble and faithful hyrum, their elder brother, admonished william, but without avail. he left the building and soon after engaged in circulating evil reports against the prophet. every effort was made by his friends to correct the wrong and to bring him to a sense of his position. he made an outward show of humility; but took an early occasion when the prophet was a guest at his house to assault him with such violence that the effects were carried by joseph to his grave.
satan was indeed trying the lord's chosen one. at home or abroad he was fated to have afflictions showered upon his devoted head. but of all the woes of his persecuted life, not one could have been more saddening to him than these attacks by his own brother in the flesh.
the prophet harbored no malice; but with the humility and the godliness which permeated all his intercourse with his fellow-men he freely forgave william. such effect did the prophet's kindness have upon william that he repented and expressed his contrition with great sincerity and earnestness. a reconciliation took place at which father smith and his brother john, with hyrum, joseph and william were present. the elder joseph addressed them all in a pathetic manner, so much so that they wept. they all covenanted at that time to endeavor to build each other up in righteousness. happy would it have been for william if he had then taken the advice of the prophet and his father; but he violated his word, despised their counsel, and fell from his high estate.
not only did joseph show tenderness in his dealings with his brother, but also with others of the twelve. when thomas b. marsh, the president of the twelve apostles, complained that the prophet in chastening them for the wrong-doing of some of their number had used harsh language, the prophet readily begged their forgiveness if he had pained their feelings. and by his noble conduct he brought about a restoration of harmony and fellowship. if his brethren of the twelve had all been as mindful of the rule of righteousness as joseph himself, the dissensions in that quorum which cost some of its brightest members their standing would not have occurred.