joseph smith at nauvoo—his physical and mental personality—views of his opponent commentators—testimony of the spirit to his inspiration.

when the prophet first went to commerce he was thirty-three years old; and he was martyred in his thirty-ninth year. despite the outrages perpetrated upon him and the privations which he had endured, he was during this period still a man of great physical beauty and stateliness. he was just six feet in height, standing in his stockings, and was grandly proportioned. in his mature years he weighed about two hundred pounds. his eyes were blue and tender; his hair was brown, plentiful and wavy; he wore no beard, and his complexion was one of transparency so rare as to be remarkable; the exquisite clearness of his skin was never clouded, his face being naturally almost without hair. his carriage was erect and graceful; he moved always with an air of dignity and power which strangers often called kingly. he was full of physical energy and daring. without any appearance of effort he could perform astonishing feats of strength and agility, and without any apparent thought of fear he met and smiled upon every physical danger. from his boyhood up he was fond of athletics, and in his mature years and at the very zenith of his fame he loved to unbend and wrestle or jump with a friend. the men who could contest with him were very few. when his situation would permit he was as happy as a school boy to join in manly sports.

he showed a sense of gentle humor in his games. on one occasion two sectarian ministers had addressed themselves to him with the boasted purpose of conquering him in argument. his theological strength dumbfounded them; he drove them from one position to another until they were glad to cry for quarter. then, as they were about to depart with a crestfallen air, he said to them in a tone of kindness:

come, gentlemen, since you withdraw from the contest of logic, let us jump at a mark. i think i can beat you at this.

the preachers hastened away, filled with indignation, and spread all manner of ridiculous reports concerning joseph smith because he could condescend at times to run, or jump or wrestle like a boy. probably their defeat in argument had more than the professed shock to their religious sensitiveness to do with their indignation. he was always gentle and good-natured in his sports. several men are yet living who jumped or tried a fall with the prophet. they say joseph did not lose dignity in these sports. his rare physical beauty and grace and his athletic excellence set him far above his fellows and made his condescension seem kingly.

nearly every one of his commentators, whether friend or foe, speaks of him as a handsome man, of distinguished appearance and possessing a marvelous power of fascination. by his opponents, the inspiration which was over him and upon him—enveloping and permeating him and radiating from his whole being—was attributed to magnetism.

in every association with his fellow-beings he was considerate and just. he was always willing to carry his part of the burden and to share in any suffering or deprivation inflicted upon his friends. he was gentle to children and universally won their love. elder lyman o. littlefield, now of logan, utah, was a boy thirteen years old with the camp of zion which went up into missouri. he narrates an incident of that journey which is characteristic of the prophet's entire life, for his deeds and words of thoughtfulness were a constantly flowing stream. as we recollect elder littlefield's statement, it was this:

the journey was extremely toilsome for all, and the physical suffering, coupled with the knowledge of the persecutions endured by our brethren whom we were traveling to succor, caused me to lapse one day into a state of melancholy. as the camp was making ready to depart i sat tired and brooding by the roadside. the prophet was the busiest man of the camp; and yet when he saw me, he turned from the great press of other duties to say a word of comfort to a child. placing his hand upon my head, he said, "is there no place for you, my boy? if not, we must make one." this circumstance made an impression upon my mind which long lapse of time and cares of riper years have not effaced.

joseph always sought to help the distressed. a cry of sorrow quickly touched his ear, and its appeal invariably aroused him to helpful action.

when he had become educated and refined as gold in the furnace by his communion with the holy spirit, his words were heeded as if they were falling jewels. he never had to beg for listeners; nor had he to ask twice an audience with any one who had once met him. the great men of the nation, with whom he came in contact, felt the power of his mighty spirit. he was their peer as a philosopher and a statesman. he was more, because he not only knew the past, but he saw the future.

the judgment of a man's friends is always the best judgment, especially when his character and career are such as to excite the jealousy and enmity of the world. but in the case of joseph the prophet, while none but his friends could understand the full strength and beauty of that god-like soul, there were not wanting plenty of non-believers who recognize in him a man of amazing power. when a man is dead, he is usually judged by his works, and few characters can bear the judgment of the world pronounced during their lives by their opponents. joseph smith was one of the few. in speaking of his opponents we refer not to the sectarian bigots or to the mobocrats and apostates; but we refer to men of standing and reputation, who were not so foolish as to speak falsely in describing his attributes. we refer to men who recognized in joseph smith a social factor and in his work a social movement, even while they denied his inspiration and its divinity.

a writer for the new york herald had visited the prophet, and in 1842 that paper said:

joseph smith is undoubtedly one of the greatest characters of the age. he indicates as much talent, originality and moral courage as mahomet, odin or any of the great spirits that have hitherto produced the revolutions of past ages. in the present infidel, irreligious, ideal, geological, animal-magnetic age of the world, some such singular prophet as joseph smith is required to preserve the principle of faith, and to plant some new germs of civilization that may come to maturity in a thousand years. while modern philosophy, which believes in nothing but what you can touch, is overspreading the atlantic states, joseph smith is creating a spiritual system, combined also with morals and industry, that may change the destiny of the race. * * * we certainly want some such prophet to start up, take a big hold of the public mind—and stop the torrent of materialism that is hurrying the world into infidelity, immorality, licentiousness and crime.

the pittsburgh american declared that joseph smith could not be denied the attributes of greatness. a cleveland paper responding said that he was without education or genius, and that "he used to live near these 'diggings.'" the pittsburgh visitor then took up the argument, saying:

no man was ever a prophet near the edge of his own diggings. * * * we know that principally from a country which boasts its superior intelligence; where ignorance is supposed to be banished, and every man and woman taught to read and write; he [joseph smith] has built up a name, a temple and a city, conquering all opposition, and this both vindictive and powerful, and so entirely unaided that he can exclaim like the proud and haughty roman, "alone i did it!"

if he is advancing the cause of truth, he certainly has claim to our sympathies and respect, as well for its discovery as the bold and determined manner in which he has maintained it. if it is a gross imposture, as you assert, he must be both ingenious and cunning to gloss over its deformities and make them so attractive. we have nothing to do with his doctrines—we only consider him the most remarkable man among the "diggins."

probably the most comprehensive view taken of the prophet by a man not intimate with him was that of josiah quincy, who, in company with hon. charles francis adams, the senior, visited joseph smith at nauvoo on the 15th day of may, 1844, just forty-three days before the prophet's martyrdom. among many things descriptive of joseph, quincy says:

it is by no means improbable that some future textbook, for the use of generations yet unborn, will contain a question something like this: what historical american of the nineteenth century has exerted the most powerful influence upon the destinies of his countrymen? and it is by no means impossible that the answer to that interrogatory may be thus written: joseph smith, the mormon prophet. and the reply, absurd as it doubtless seems to most men now living, may be an obvious common-place to their descendants. history deals in surprises and paradoxes quite as startling as this. the man who established a religion in this age of free debate, who was and is today accepted by hundreds of thousands as a direct emissary from the most high—such a rare human being is not to be disposed of by pelting his memory with unsavory epithets. fanatic, impostor, charlatan, he may have been; but these hard names furnish no solution to the problem he presents to us. fanatics and impostors are living and dying every day, and their memory is buried with them; but the wonderful influence which this founder of a religion exerted and still exerts throws him into relief before us, not as a rogue to be criminated, but as a phenomenon to be explained. the most vital questions americans are asking each other today have to do with this man and what he has left us. a generation other than mine must deal with these questions. burning questions they are, which must give a prominent place in the history of the country to that sturdy self-asserter whom i visited at nauvoo. joseph smith, claiming to be an inspired teacher, faced adversity such as few men have been called to meet, enjoyed a brief season of prosperity such as few men have ever attained, and finally, forty-three days after i saw him, went cheerfully to a martyr's death. when he surrendered his person to governor ford, in order to prevent the shedding of blood, the prophet had a presentiment of what was before him. "i am going like a lamb to the slaughter," he is reported to have said; "but i am as calm as a summer's morning. i have a conscience void of offense, and shall die innocent." i have no theory to advance respecting this extraordinary man. i shall simply give the facts of my intercourse with him. at some future time they may be found to have some bearing upon the theories of others who are more competent to make them. ten closely written pages of my journal describe my impressions of nauvoo, and of its prophet, mayor, general and judge. * * * *

pre-eminent among the stragglers by the door stood a man of commanding appearance, clad in the costume of a journeyman carpenter when about his work. he was a hearty, athletic fellow, with blue eyes standing prominently out upon his light complexion, a long nose, and a retreating forehead. he wore striped pantaloons, a linen jacket which had not lately seen the wash tub, and a beard of some three days' growth. this was the founder of the religion which had been preached in every quarter of the earth.

a fine looking man is what the passer by would instinctively have murmured upon meeting this remarkable individual who had fashioned the mould which was to shape the feelings of so many thousands of his fellow-mortals. but smith was more than this, and one could not resist the impression that capacity and resource were natural to his stalwart person. i have already mentioned the resemblance he bore to elisha r. potter, of rhode island, whom i met in washington in 1826. the likeness was not such as would be recognized in a picture, but rather one that would be felt in a grave emergency. of all men that i have met, these two seemed best endowed with that kingly faculty which directs as by intrinsic right, the feeble or confused souls who are looking for guidance. this it is just to say with emphasis; for the reader will find so much that is puerile and even shocking in my report of the prophet's conversation that he might never suspect the impression of rugged power that was given by the man. * * * * * * *

"general smith," said dr. goforth, when we had adjourned to the green in front of the tavern, "i think mr. quincy would like to hear you preach." "then i shall be happy to do so," was the obliging reply; and mounting the broad step which led from the house, the prophet promptly addressed a sermon to the little group about him. our numbers were constantly increased from the passers in the street, and a most attentive audience of more than a hundred persons soon hung upon every word of the speaker. the text was mark 16:15, and the comments, though rambling and disconnected, were delivered with the fluency and fervor of a camp-meeting orator. the discourse was interrupted several times by the methodist minister before referred to, who thought it incumbent upon him to question the soundness of certain theological positions maintained by the speaker. one specimen of the sparring which ensued i thought worth setting down. the prophet is asserting that baptism for the remission of sins is essential for salvation. minister: stop! what do you say to the case of the penitent thief? prophet: what do you mean by that? minister: you know our savior said to the thief, "this day shalt thou be with me in paradise," which shows he could not have been baptized before his admission. prophet: how do you know he wasn't baptized before he became a thief? at this retort the sort of laugh that is provoked by an unexpected hit ran through the audience; but this demonstration of sympathy was rebuked by a severe look from smith, who went on to say: but that is not the true answer. in the original greek, as this gentleman [turning to me] will inform you, the word that has been translated paradise means simply a place of departed spirits. to that place the penitent thief was conveyed, and there, doubtless, he received the baptism necessary for his admission to the heavenly kingdom. the other objections of his antagonist were parried with a similar adroitness, and in about fifteen minutes the prophet concluded a sermon which it was evident that his disciples had heard with the heartiest satisfaction. * * * * * * * *

in the afternoon we drove to visit the farms upon the prairie which this enterprising people had enclosed and were cultivating with every appearance of success. on returning we stopped in a beautiful grove where there were seats and a platform for speaking. "when the weather permits," said smith, "we hold our services in this place; but shall cease to do so when the temple is finished." "i suppose none but mormon preachers are allowed in nauvoo," said the methodist minister, who had accompanied our expedition. "on the contrary," replied the prophet, "i shall be very happy to have you address my people next sunday, and i will insure you a most attentive congregation." "what! do you mean that i may say anything i please, and that you will make no reply?" "you may certainly say anything you please; but i must reserve the right of adding a word or two, if i judge best. i promise to speak of you in the most respectful manner." as we rode back, there was much dispute between the minister and smith. "come," said the latter, suddenly slapping his antagonist on the knee, to emphasize the production of a triumphant text, "if you can't argue better than that, you shall say all you want to say to my people, and i will promise to hold my tongue, for there's not a mormon among them that will need my assistance to answer you." some backthrust was evidently required to pay for this; and the minister, soon after, having occasion to allude to some erroneous doctrine which i forgot, suddenly exclaimed, "why, i told my congregation the other sunday that they might as well believe joe smith as such theology as that." "did you say joe smith in a sermon?" inquired the person to whom the title had been applied. "of course i did. why not?" the prophet's reply was given with a quiet superiority that was overwhelming: "considering only the day and the place, it would have been more respectful to have said lieutenant-general joseph smith." clearly the worthy minister was no match for the head of the mormon church.

i have quoted enough [from letters of converts] to show what really good material smith managed to draw into his net. were such fish to be caught with spaulding's tedious romance and a puerile fable of undecipherable gold plates and gigantic spectacles? not these cheap and wretched properties, but some mastering force of the man who handled them, inspired the devoted missionaries who worked such wonders. the remaining letters [picked up from joseph's waste basket by quincy] both written a year previous to my visit, came from a certain chicago attorney, who seems to have been the personal friend as well as the legal adviser of the prophet. with the legal advice come warnings of plots which enemies are preparing, and of the probability that a seizure of his person by secret ambush is contemplated. "they hate you;" writes this friendly lawyer, "because they have done evil unto you. * * * my advice to you is, not to sleep in your own house, but to have some place to sleep strongly guarded by your own friends, so that you can resist any sudden attempt that might be made to kidnap you in the night. when the missourians come on this side and burn houses, depend upon it they will not hesitate to make the attempt to carry you away by force. let me again caution you to be every moment upon your guard." the man to whom this letter was addressed had long been familiar with perils. for fourteen years he was surrounded by vindictive enemies, who lost no opportunity to harass him. he was in danger even when we saw him at the summit of his prosperity, and he was soon to seal his testimony—or, if you will, to expiate his imposture—by death at the hands of dastardly assassins. if these letters go little way toward interpreting the man, they suggest that any hasty interpretation of him is inadequate. * * * * * * * * *

i asked him to test his [prophetic] powers by naming the successful candidate in the approaching presidential election. "well, i will prophesy that john tyler will not be the next president, for some things are possible and some things are probable; but tyler's election is neither the one nor the other." we then went on to talk of politics. smith recognized the curse and iniquity of slavery, though he opposed the methods of the abolitionists. his plan was for the nation to pay for the slaves from the sale of the public lands. "congress," he said, "should be compelled to take this course, by petitions from all parts of the country; but the petitioners must disclaim all alliance with those who would disturb the rights of property recognized by the constitution and foment insurrection." it may be worth while to remark that smith's plan was publicly advocated eleven years later, by one who has mixed so much practical shrewdness with his lofty philosophy. in 1855, when men's minds had been moved to their depths on the question of slavery, mr. ralph waldo emerson declared that it should be met in accordance "with the interest of the south and with the settled conscience of the north. it is not really a great task, a great fight for this country to accomplish, to buy that property of the planter, as the british nation bought the west indian slaves." he further says that the "united states will be brought to give every inch of their public lands for a purpose like this." we who can look back upon the terrible cost of the fratricidal war which put an end to slavery, now say that such a solution of the difficulty would have been worthy a christian statesman. but if the retired scholar was in advance of his time when he advocated this disposition of the public property in 1855, what shall i say of the political and religious leader who had committed himself, in print, as well as in conversation, to the same course in 1844? if the atmosphere of men's opinions was stirred by such a proposition when war-clouds were discernible in the sky, was it not a statesmanlike word eleven years earlier, when the heavens looked tranquil and beneficent?

general smith proceeded to unfold still further his views upon politics. he denounced the missouri compromise as an unjustifiable concession for the benefit of slavery. it was henry clay's bid for the presidency. dr. goforth might have spared himself the trouble of coming to nauvoo to electioneer for a duellist who would fire at john randolph, but was not brave enough to protect the saints in their rights as american citizens. clay had told his people to go to the wilds of oregon and set up a government of their own. oh yes, the saints might go into the wilderness and obtain justice of the indians, which imbecile, time-serving politicians would not give them in a land of freedom and equality. the prophet then talked of the details of government. he thought that the number of members admitted to the lower house of the national legislature should be reduced. a crowd only darkened counsel and impeded business. a member to every half million of population would be ample. the powers of the president should be increased. he should have authority to put down rebellion in a state, without waiting for the request of any governor; for it might happen that the governor himself would be the leader of the rebels. it is needless to remark how later events showed the executive weakness that smith pointed out,—a weakness which cost thousands of valuable lives and millions of treasure; but the man mingled utopian fallacies with his shrewd suggestions. he talked as from a strong mind utterly unenlightened by the teachings of history. finally, he told us what he would do, were he president of the united states, and went on to mention that he might one day so hold the balance between parties as to render his election to that office by no means unlikely. * * * * *

who can wonder that the chair of the national executive had its place among the visions of this self-reliant man? he had already traversed the roughest part of the way to that coveted position. born in the lowest ranks of poverty, without book-learning and with the homeliest of all human names, he had made himself at the age of thirty-nine a power upon earth. of the multitudinous family of smith, from adam down (adam of the "wealth of nations," i mean), none had so won human hearts and shaped human lives as this joseph. his influence, whether for good or for evil, is potent to-day, and the end is not yet.

i have endeavored to give the details of my visit to the mormon prophet with absolute accuracy. if the reader does not know just what to make of joseph smith, i cannot help him out of the difficulty. i myself stand helpless before the puzzle.

a member of congress wrote to his wife after meeting joseph in washington:

everything he says is said in a manner to leave an impression that he is sincere. there is no levity, no fanaticism, no want of dignity in his deportment. he is apparently from forty to forty-five years of age, rather above the middle stature, and what the ladies would call a very good-looking man. in his garb there are no peculiarities, his dress being that of a plain, unpretending citizen. he is by profession a farmer, but is evidently well read. * * * throughout his whole address he displayed strongly a spirit of charity and forbearance.

the masonic grand master, in the state of illinois, wrote of joseph to the advocate:

having recently had occasion to visit the city of nauvoo i cannot permit the opportunity to pass without expressing the agreeable disappointment that awaited me there. i had supposed, from what i had previously heard, that i should witness an impoverished, ignorant and bigoted population, completely priest-ridden and tyrannized over by joseph smith, the great prophet of these people.

on the contrary, to my surprise, i saw a people apparently happy, prosperous and intelligent. every man appeared to be employed in some business or occupation. i saw no idleness, no intemperance, no noise, no riot; all appeared to be contented, with no desire to trouble themselves with anything except their own affairs. with the religion of this people i have nothing to do; if they can be satisfied with the doctrines of their new revelation, they have a right to be so. the constitution of the country guarantees to them the right of worshiping god according to the dictates of their own conscience, and if they can be so easily satisfied, why should we, who differ with them, complain? * * * * * * *

during my stay of three days i became well acquainted with their principal men, and more particularly with their prophet. i found them hospitable, polite, well-informed and liberal. with joseph smith, the hospitality of whose house i kindly received, i was well pleased. of course, on the subject of religion we widely differed, but he appeared to be quite as willing to permit me to enjoy my right of opinion as i think we all ought to be to let the mormons enjoy theirs. but instead of the ignorant and tyrannical upstart, judge my surprise at finding him a sensible, intelligent companion and gentlemanly man. in frequent conversations with him he gave me every information that i desired, and appeared to be only pleased at being able to do so. he appears to be much respected by all the people about him, and has their entire confidence. he is a fine-looking man, about thirty-six years of age, and has an interesting family.

an officer of the united states artillery who visited nauvoo in september, 1842, said:

the smiths are not without talent, and are said to be as brave as lions. joseph, the chief, is a noble-looking fellow, a mahomet every inch of him. * * * the city of nauvoo contains about ten thousand souls, and is rapidly increasing. it is well laid out, and the municipal affairs appear to be well conducted. the adjoining country is a beautiful prairie. who will say that the "mormon" prophet is not among the great spirits of the age?

in 1842 or 1843, a methodist preacher by the name of prior visited nauvoo and on the sabbath day attended religious services for the purpose of hearing a sermon by the prophet. he published the following description of joseph's appearance and words:

i will not attempt to describe the various feelings of my bosom as i took my seat in a conspicuous place in the congregation, who were waiting in breathless silence for his appearance. while he tarried, i had plenty of time to revolve in my mind the character and common report of that truly singular personage. i fancied that i should behold a countenance sad and sorrowful, yet containing the fiery marks of rage and exasperation. i supposed that i should be enabled to discover in him some of those thoughtful and reserved features, those mystic and sarcastic glances, which i had fancied the ancient sages to possess. i expected to see that fearful, faltering look of conscious shame which, from what i had heard of him, he might be expected to evince. he appeared at last; but how was i disappointed when instead of the heads and horns of the beast and false prophet, i beheld only the appearance of a common man, of tolerably large proportions. i was sadly disappointed, and thought that, although his appearance could not be wrested to indicate anything against him, yet he would manifest all i had heard of him when he began to preach. i sat uneasily, and watched him closely. he commenced preaching, not from the book of mormon, however, but from the bible; the first chapter of the first of peter was his text. he commenced calmly, and continued dispassionately to pursue his subject, while i sat in breathless silence, waiting to hear that foul aspersion of the other sects, that diabolical disposition of revenge, and to hear rancorous denunciation of every individual but a mormon; i waited in vain; i listened with surprise; i sat uneasy in my seat, and could hardly persuade myself but that he had been apprised of my presence, and so ordered his discourse on my account, that i might not be able to find fault with it; for instead of a jumbled jargon of half-connected sentences, and a volley of imprecations, and diabolical and malignant denunciations, heaped upon the heads of all who differed from him, and the dreadful twisting and wresting of the scriptures to suit his own peculiar views, and attempt to weave a web of dark and mystic sophistry around the gospel truths, which i had anticipated, he glided along through a very interesting and elaborate discourse with all the care and happy facility of one who was well aware of his important station, and his duty to god and man.

in 1843, an english traveler wrote a letter which appeared in most of the american newspapers concerning a visit to nauvoo. he first recites many of the awful tales which he had heard concerning the prophet and the saints, and describes the fears of his own life which were entertained by his friends should he put himself in the prophet's power, evidently taking much credit to himself for his "chivalric" and "foolhardy" enterprise. but when he reaches nauvoo, he finds all his fears and adventurous calculations dispelled; so he sits calmly down to make a dispassionate review of the city and its founder. a portion of his letter is as follows:

the city is of great dimensions, laid out in beautiful order; the streets are wide, and cross each other at right angles, which will add greatly to its order and magnificence when finished. the city rises on a gentle incline from the rolling mississippi, and as you stand near the temple, you may gaze on the picturesque scenery around; at your side is the temple, the wonder of the world; round about, and beneath, you may behold handsome stores, large mansions, and fine cottages, interspersed with varied scenery; at the foot of the town rolls the noble mississippi, bearing upon its bosom the numerous seaships which are conveying the mormons from all parts of the world to their home. i have seen them landed, and i have beheld them welcomed to their homes with the tear of joy and the gladdening smile, to share the embrace of all around. i have heard them exclaim, how happy to live here! how happy to die here! and then how happy to rise here in the resurrection! it is their happiness; then why disturb the mormons so long as they are happy and peaceable, and are willing to live so with all men? i would say, "let them live."

the inhabitants seem to be a wonderfully enterprising people. the walls of the temple have been raised considerably this summer; it is calculated, when finished, to be the glory of illinois. they are endeavoring to establish manufactories in the city. they have enclosed large farms on the prairie ground, on which they have raised corn, wheat, hemp, etc.; and all this they have accomplished within the short space of four years. i do not believe that there is another people in existence who could have made such improvements in the same length of time, under the same circumstances. and here allow me to remark, that there are some here who have lately emigrated to this place, who have built themselves large and convenient houses in the town; others on their farms on the prairie, who, if they had remained at home, might have continued to live in rented houses all their days, and never once have entertained the idea of building one for themselves at their own expense.

joseph smith, the mormon prophet, is a singular character; he lives at the "nauvoo mansion house," which is, i understand, intended to become a home for the stranger and traveler; and i think, from my own personal observation, that it will be deserving of the name. the prophet is a kind, cheerful, sociable companion. i believe that he has the good-will of the community at large, and that he is ever ready to stand by and defend them in any extremity; and as i saw the prophet and his brother hyrum conversing together one day, i thought i beheld two of the greatest men of the nineteenth century. i have witnessed the mormons in their assemblies on a sunday, and i know not where a similar scene could be effected or produced. with respect to the teachings of the prophet, i must say that there are some things hard to be understood; but he invariably supports himself from our good old bible. peace and harmony reign in the city. the drunkard is scarcely ever seen, as in other cities, neither does the awful imprecation or profane oath strike upon your ear; but, while all is storm, and tempest, and confusion abroad respecting the mormons, all is peace and harmony at home.

in june, 1851, a work appeared entitled "the mormons" published by a journalist connected with the morning chronicle, london, england. the author had made some close personal researches into the question, and the volume was the candid expression of his matured views. being skeptical, and having little sympathy for a religious movement of this character, naturally his conclusions were colored by his prejudices. but he says:

joseph smith was indeed a remarkable man: and, in summing up his character, it is extremely difficult to decide, whether he were indeed the vulgar impostor which it has been the fashion to consider him, or whether he were a sincere fanatic who believed what he taught. but whether an impostor, who, for the purposes of his ambition, concocted the fraud of the book of mormon, or a fanatic who believed and promulgated a fraud originally concocted by some other person, it must be admitted that he displayed no little zeal and courage; that his tact was great, that his talents for governing men were of no mean order, and that, however glaring his deficiencies in early life may have been, he manifested, as he grew older, an ability both as an orator and a writer, which showed that he possessed strong natural gifts, only requiring cultivation to have raised him to a high reputation among better educated men. there are many incidents in his life which favor the supposition that he was guilty of a deliberate fraud in pretending to have revelations from heaven, and in palming off upon the world his new bible: but, at the same time, there is much in his later career which seems to prove that he really believed what he asserted—that he imagined himself to be in reality what he pretended—the chosen medium to convey a new gospel to the world—the inspired of heaven, the dreamer of divine dreams, and the companion of angels. if he were an impostor, deliberately and coolly inventing, and pertinaciously propagating a falsehood, there is this much to be said, that never was an impostor more cruelly punished than he was, from the first moment of his appearance as a prophet to the last. joseph smith, in consequence of his pretensions to be a seer and prophet of god, lived a life of continual misery and persecution. he endured every kind of hardship, contumely and suffering. he was derided, assaulted and imprisoned. his life was one long scene of peril and distress, scarcely brightened by the brief beam of comparative repose which he enjoyed in his own city of nauvoo. in the contempt showered upon his head his whole family shared. father and mother, and brothers, wife and friends, were alike involved in the ignominy of his pretensions, and the sufferings that resulted. he lived for fourteen years amid vindictive enemies, who never missed an opportunity to vilify, to harass, and to destroy him; and he died at last an untimely and miserable death, involving in his fate a brother to whom he was tenderly attached. if anything can tend to encourage the supposition that joseph smith was a sincere enthusiast maddened with religious frenzies, as many have been before and will be after him—and that he had strong and invincible faith in his own high pretensions and divine mission, it is the notability that unless supported by such feelings, he would have renounced the unprofitable and ungrateful task, and sought refuge from persecution and misery in private life and honorable industry. but whether knave or lunatic, whether a liar or a true man, it cannot be denied that he was one of the most extraordinary persons of his time, a man of rude genius, who accomplished a much greater work than he knew; and whose name, whatever he may have been whilst living, will take its place among the notabilities of the world.

a writer in chamber's encyclopaedia speaking of the prophet says.

from his early years he was regarded as a visionary and a fanatic; a fact which is of the utmost importance as affording a clue to his real character, and an explanation of that otherwise unaccountable tenacity of purpose and moral heroism displayed in the midst of fiercest persecution. a mere impostor * * * would have broken down under such a tempest of opposition and hate as smith's preaching excited.

the foregoing opinions quoted from the prophet's contemporaries and observers—his opponents, candid though they were—are as favorable as could be looked for in a skeptical, materialistic age. they prove all that can be asserted of the prophet by his believers, except the essential feature of his inspiration. this could not be testified to by any except a believer. his reviewers, whom we have quoted, judge entirely from external evidence. they saw the phenomenon presented by his life and work, and recorded it; excluding entirely from their consideration of his character and deeds all thought of the superhuman. and yet such candid judgment of these men is worthy of preservation; it reinforces to the world the idea expressed of him by those who accepted the faith which he taught. if some of these opposing writers could have known him as intimately as his brethren knew him, the same sincerity which prompted their favorable testimony concerning his remarkable character must have compelled them to speak of those finer qualities which endeared him to the saints. the prophet was only a man; but he was a good man, an inspired man, a better man than he could have been without the inspiration of his master, christ. in all his actions he was fearless as an angel of light. not in all that has ever been written or said of him by friend or foe is there one word to impugn the magnificent physical bravery and moral courage of joseph smith. withal he was as meek and gentle as a little child. disciplined by the spirit of god, which was his constant monitor, he put away from him alike the fear of men and the ambitions of the world. these were things which a remote or casual observer would not be likely to discover.

it cannot be expected that any non-believer will testify to the prophetic power of joseph smith. to admit it is to believe. and yet this power, too, can be proved by external evidence. of his predictions not one word has failed. his inspiration may also be proved by eternal evidence. it is now admitted by every student of his life and work that the book of mormon came from or through him. this work could not have been originated by any other man in the nineteenth century.

but the best evidence of the divine inspiration which had descended upon him is not external. it is like faith in christ. it is the whisper of the spirit. during joseph smith's lifetime many thousands of people bore solemn testimony that they knew he was a prophet of god. since his death many more thousands have declared the same knowledge. such proof may be insufficient for the world, but it is enough for the saints. the world says that men who knew him were deceived by his personal magnetism. but what shall be said of men who believe and yet never saw him? very few of the latter-day saints living today ever met the prophet. magnetism has a limited circle and a limited duration. inspiration is infinite and eternal. the men who never saw jesus christ believe on him because the holy spirit inspires belief; the men who never saw joseph smith believe in him because the holy spirit inspires belief. the jews were witnesses to the miracles of our savior. their great historian josephus says:

now there was about this time jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man: for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as received the truth with pleasure. he drew over to him both many of the jews and many of the gentiles. he was christ. and when pilate at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day; as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. and a tribe of christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day.

but josephus remained a jew, and very few of his race accepted the redeemer, despite their knowledge of his works; they had only the external testimony which is insufficient, they hardened their hearts against the internal testimony which is all-convincing. josephus' testimony of jesus christ is no stronger considering the time in which he lived, than is the testimony of some of joseph smith's unbelieving commentators, considering the age in which they lived. if christians were dependent today solely upon the history of christ's work, their faith might be insecure; but they have that testimony of the spirit which gives to the sincere seeker after truth a conviction so firm as to be unassailable by all the power of satan. it is this same spirit which convinces the saints of latter days that as truly as christ lived, god's only begotten son, as truly as he performed a divine mission upon earth, as truly as he died upon calvary a martyr to redeem a fallen world; just so truly was joseph smith ordained and inspired of god to reveal his truths and lead men back out of the darkness of ages, into communion with the heavens. the physical strength and the mental power of an unbelieving world may be arrayed against the followers of this prophet of latter days; as these same powers were arrayed against the early christians. but prisons and crosses and swords and bullets cannot undo a fact. they may operate upon the fears of men and they may induce recantation; but they cannot destroy absolute knowledge.

as the years pass away the recognition of joseph smith's wonderful career grows more widespread. the day is near, even if it has not already come, when the world of thinking but unbelieving men must accept him as a marvel. they confess the mystery of his power and the unaccountable grandeur of his deeds, even while they dispute all claim to inspiration. they say he "was a doer of wonderful works." they confess their special amaze that an unlearned farmer lad, dwelling in the backwoods in the early part of this century, should have conceived of his own mind, a system of theology and a purpose of church organization, a plan of social redemption, so vast, so extraordinary; and that he should have held to his work with such heroic tenacity, through all the ills of life and unto the final scene of martyrdom. no words of a believer can of themselves convince an unbeliever. there is but one power of demonstration, and that is to seek by humble prayer for the voice of the holy spirit. so surely as man prays in faith and meekness, so surely will the answer come. this answer is the testimony of jesus christ; it is the testimony to his servant joseph smith.

the world will not put this to the test. only here and there an honest, humble soul, struggling to the light will bow before the eternal throne and make sincere petition for guidance.

by this testimony will the age be judged. we declare unto all to whom these words shall come that joseph smith was a prophet of god. flesh and blood have not revealed it unto us, but our father which is in heaven: and this holy revelation is the gift, exclusively, to no man and no class of men. it is free to all who will seek for it in obedience and sincere humility.