shall read the words that shall be delivered him, forasmuch as this
people draw near unto me with their mouth, and with their lips do
honor me, but have removed their hearts far from me, and their fear
towards me is taught by the precepts of men, therefore, I will proceed
to do a marvellous work among this people; yea, a marvellous work and
a wonder: for the wisdom of the wise and learned shall perish, and
the understanding of their prudent shall be hid. And wo unto them
that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord. And their works
are in the dark; and they say, who seeth us; and who knoweth us? And
they also say, surely, your turning of things upside down, shall be
esteemed as the potter's clay. But behold, I will shew unto them,
saith the Lord of Hosts, that I know all their works. For shall the
work say of him that made it, he made me not? Or shall the thing
framed say of him that framed it, he had no understanding? But behold,
saith the Lord of Hosts, I swill shew unto the children of men, that
it is not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a
fruitful field; and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest.
And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book; and the
eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness; and
the meek also shall increase, and their joy shall be in the Lord;
and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. For
assuredly as the Lord liveth, they shall see that the terrible one is
brought to nought, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch
for iniquity are cut off; and they that make a man an offender for a
word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn
aside the just for a thing of nought. Therefore thus saith the Lord,
who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob, Jacob shall not
now be ashamed, neither shall his face now wax pale. But when he
seeth his children, the work of my hands, in the midst of him, they
shall sanctify my name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall
fear the God of Israel. They also that erred in spirit shall come to
understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.
Here it will at once be perceived that the Book of Mormon is actually
the book predicted by Isaiah, or else it must be an imposture. The
book mentioned by Isaiah was to have every characteristic which seems
to accompany the Book of Mormon. Did Isaiah predict that the "deaf
should hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind see out
of obscurity, and out of darkness?" It has been fulfilled by the
coming forth of the Book of Mormon. Did Isaiah say that in the day his
predicted book should speak out of the ground, then those who "erred
in spirit should come to understanding, and they that murmured should
learn doctrine?" It has been fulfilled to the very letter through the
instrumentality of the Book of Mormon. Tens of thousands of honest
men, who erred in spirit because of the doctrines and precepts of men,
have come to understanding. Many points of doctrine which had been in
controversy for ages are made perfectly plain in the Book of Mormon;
hence those who have murmured because of the darkness and obscurity
thrown over the scriptures by human wisdom and learning, have "_learned
doctrine_." Did Isaiah prophecy that when the predicted book should
make its appearance, that then "the house of Jacob should no longer be
made ashamed, neither should the face of Jacob any more wax pale?" The
Book of Mormon has come, declaring that the time is at hand for the
gathering of the house of Jacob, no more to be scattered. Did Isaiah
predict that in the day of the revelation of a certain book, "the
terrible one should be brought to nought, the scorner be consumed, and
all that watch for iniquity be cut off;" and finally that "all the
nations who should fight against Mount Zion, should pass away as the
dream of a night vision, and be destroyed by earthquake and the flame
of devouring fire?" The Book of Mormon comes testifying that the hour
of these judgments is at hand. And finally, there is no circumstance
mentioned by Isaiah, connected with the revelation and translation of
the book he mentions, but what is connected with the Book of Mormon.
If Joseph Smith was an impostor and wished to palm himself off upon
the world as the great prophet who was to usher in the preparatory
dispensation for the coming of the Lord, how came he to discover all
these minute particulars contained in Isaiah's prophecy, so as to so
exactly and perfectly incorporate in his great scheme of imposture
each and every one of them? If this illiterate youth was a deceiver,
he has far outstretched all the learned divines or impostors of the
last eighteen hundred years--he has made his great and extended scheme
to harmonize in every particular, not only with the ancient gospel
but with the ancient prophecies, and this, too, so perfectly, that no
one can detect the delusion. Reader, does not such a scheme savour
very strongly of the truth? Does it not require a greater effort of
mind to disbelieve such a scheme than it does to believe it? If such a
scheme can not be credited, where is there a scheme or system in the
whole world that can be credited? Can you find a scheme more perfect
than the one introduced by Mr. Smith? Can you find one equal to it in
perfection? Can you find one that contains the one-twentieth part of
the truth which his system contains? If, then, you doubt the authority
of Mr. Smith, how much more ought you to doubt the authority of every
other man now on the earth? If Mr. Smith's perfect scheme should be
rejected, surely all other schemes or doctrines, which can be shown to
be ten times more imperfect, should also be rejected. If any are to be
received, surely that one should be received which seems to contain
all the elements of a true doctrine, and in which there cannot be
detected the least evidence of imposture. To invent a scheme apparently
every way suited to the last dispensation or preparatory work for
the second advent of our Lord--to have that scheme agree in every
minute particular with the endless circumstances and numberless events
predicted by the ancient prophets, bespeaks a wisdom far superior to
that of man: it bespeaks the wisdom of God. This endless train of
circumstances--all harmonizing--all combining--all concentrating as
it were into one focus--carries with it such irresistible evidence of
truth that it is almost impossible for the careful investigator to
reject the divinity of Joseph Smith's mission. Like investigating the
works of nature, the more he examines the more he perceives the wisdom
of the Deity enstamped upon every sentence.
Seventh.--According to the Book of Mormon, all of the great western
continent, with all the valleys, hills, and mountains, riches and
resources pertaining thereunto, was given to the remnant of Joseph,
as their "_land of promise_." The Almighty sealed this covenant and
promise by an oath, saying, that the land should be given unto them
for ever. The western world, including both North and South America,
is the "_land of promise_," to the remnant of Joseph, in the same
sense that the land of Palestine is a promised land unto the twelve
tribes of Israel. Now this testimony of the Book of Mormon agrees most
perfectly with the prophetic blessing placed upon the head of Joseph by
the patriarch Jacob; who, just previous to his death, called together
his sons and predicted upon each what should befall them or their
tribes "_in the last days_." The blessing upon the tribe of Joseph is
as follows:--(Genesis xlix chap.) "Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a
fruitful bough by a well, whose branches run over the wall: the archers
have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him; but his bow
abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the
hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the
stone of Israel:) even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee;
and by the Almighty who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven
above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts
and of the womb: _the blessings of thy father have prevailed above the
blessings of my progenitors, unto the utmost bound of the everlasting
hills_: they shall be the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head
of him that was separate from his brethren." In the preceeding chapter,
when blessing the two sons of Joseph, he says, "let them grow into a
multitude in the midst of the earth." And again, "his seed shall become
a multitude of nations." From these predictions it will be perceived
that Jacob prevailed with God, and obtained a greater blessing in
behalf of the tribe of Joseph than what Abraham and Isaac, his
progenitors, had obtained. While the blessing of Jacob's progenitors
was limited to the land of Palestine, Joseph had confirmed upon him a
blessing or country above, or far greater than Palestine--a country
at a distance, represented by "_the utmost bounds of the everlasting
hills_." Some of the "_branches_" of the "_fruitful bough_" of Joseph
were to spread far abroad from the parent tree--they were to "_run over
the wall_" of the mighty ocean--they were to "_become a multitude of
nations in the midst of the earth_." There, among the "_everlasting
hills_," they were to be "_made strong by the hands of the mighty God
of Jacob_." It was to be there, among the "_multitude of nations_" of
the posterity of Joseph, that the "_Shepherd--the stone of Israel_"
was to establish a kingdom, which should break in pieces all other
kingdoms, and "_fill the whole earth_."
In America there is a "_multitude of nations_," called by us
"_Indians_." These Indians evidently sprang from the same source as
is indicated by their color, features, customs, dialects, traditions,
&c.; that they are of Israelitish origin is also evident from their
religious ceremonies, their language, their traditions, and the
discovery of Hebrew inscriptions, &c. If America is not the land given
to a branch of Joseph, where, or in what part of the globe shall that
tribe receive the fulfillment of Jacob's prediction? where, if not
in America, has a land been peopled by a multitude of the nations of
Joseph? Can a multitude of the nations of Joseph be found in Europe,
Asia, or Africa, or in any of the adjoining islands? If not, then
America seems to be the only place where that great prediction could
receive its accomplishment. The Book of Mormon testifies that America
is "_the land of Joseph_," given to them by promise. Is not this an
additional evidence that _Mr. Smith was sent of God?_ If Mr. Smith was
an impostor, how came he to discover that the tribe of Joseph was to be
favored so much above all the other tribes of Israel? Perhaps it may
be replied, that it was easy to discover _that_ from the scriptures;
but, we ask, why did not Swedenborg, Wesley, Irving, or some of the
other impostors of former times, make this scriptural discovery, and
incorporate it in their pretended dispensations? It would be, at
first, thought far more natural to suppose the American Indians to be
the ten lost tribes of Israel; indeed, this is the opinion of many
of the learned at the present day. Why did not this modern prophet,
if a deceiver, form his deceptive scheme more in accordance with the
opinions of the learned? or why should he choose a remnant of the
tribe of Joseph to people ancient America? Out of the twelve tribes of
Israel, why did he select only a branch of one tribe to people this
vast continent? All can _now_ perceive why the Book of Mormon should
profess to be the history of a remnant of one tribe, instead of being
the history of the ten tribes. All can see, why America should be
represented as a promised land to Joseph, instead of being given to
Reuben, Simeon, or any of the other tribes. All can _now_ see, though
it was not seen at the first, that if the Book of Mormon was different
from what it now is; that is, if it professed to contain a history of
the ten lost tribes; or if it had given the great western continent
to any other people, or to any other tribe than that of Joseph, that
it would have proved itself false--it would not have been the book or
record which the prophets predicted should come forth to usher in the
great work of the last days. An impostor would be obliged to take into
consideration all these minute circumstances, many of which are in
direct opposition to the established traditions of the day; yet none of
them could be neglected without proving fatal to his scheme. But Mr.
Smith, with all the accuracy of a profound mathematician, has combined
all the minute elements of both doctrine and prophecy in his grand and
wonderful scheme--nothing is wanting. Whatever department of his system
is examined it will be found invulnerable. What an invaluable amount of
evidence to establish the _divine mission of the Prophet Joseph Smith!_
Eighth.--In the Book of Mormon are given the names and locations of
numerous cities of great magnitude, which once flourished among the
ancient nations of America. The northern portions of South America,
and also Central America, were the most densely populated. Splendid
edifices, palaces, towers, forts, and cities, were reared in all
directions. A careful reader of that interesting book, can trace the
relative bearings and distances of many of these cities from each
other; and if acquainted with the present geographical features of the
country, he can, by the descriptions given in that book, determine,
very nearly, the precise spot of ground they once occupied. Now since
that invaluable book made its appearance in print, it is a remarkable
fact, that the mouldering ruins of many splendid edifices and towers,
and magnificent cities of great extent, have been discovered by
Catherwood and Stephens in the interior wilds of Central America, in
the very region where the ancient cities described in the Book of
Mormon were said to exist. Here then, is _a certain and indisputable
evidence_ that this illiterate youth--the translator of the Book of
Mormon, was inspired of God. Mr. Smith's translation describes the
region of country where great and populous cities anciently existed,
together with their relative bearings and approximate distances from
each other. Years after, Messrs. Catherwood and Stephens discovered
the ruins of forty-four of these very cities and in the very place
described. What, but the power of God, could have revealed beforehand
this unknown fact, demonstrated years after by actual discovery?
Ninth.--The fulfillment of a vast number of prophecies delivered by Mr.
Smith is another infallible evidence of his divine mission. Out of the
many hundreds of fulfilled predictions uttered by him, we select the
following as examples.
1. Soon after Mr. Smith found the plates, he commenced translating
them. He had not proceeded far before he discovered from his own
translation of the prophecy of Nephi, as before quoted, that "THREE
WITNESSES," besides himself, should behold the book by the power of
God, and should know and testify of its truth. Some length of time
after this, or in the month of June, A.D. 1829, the Lord gave a
revelation, through Mr. Smith, to Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and
Martin Harris, promising them that if they would exercise faith, they
should have a view of the plates, and also of the Urim and Thummim.
This prediction was afterwards fulfilled; and these three persons send
forth their written testimony, in connexion with the Book of Mormon,
to all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, declaring that an
angel of God descended from heaven, and took the plates and exhibited
them before their eyes; and that, at the same time, the voice of the
Lord from the heavens testified to them of the truth contained in Mr.
Smith's translation of these records. Now an impostor might indeed
predict the raising of "THREE WITNESSES," but he could never call down
an angel from heaven, in the presence of these "WITNESSES," to fulfill
his prediction.
2. Before the "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" had any
existence upon the earth, the prophecy of Moroni was translated and
printed in the Book of Mormon. It is expressly predicted in this
prophecy, that in the day that that book should be revealed, "_the
blood of the Saints should cry unto the Lord from the ground_," because
of the wickedness of the people, and that the "_time should soon come
when_," because of the cries and mourning of "_widows and orphans_"
whose husbands and fathers should be slain by wicked hands, "_the Lord
should avenge the blood of his Saints_." And again, in August, 1831,
the word of the Lord came to Mr. Smith, saying that "_the Saints should
be scourged from city to city, and from synagogue to synagogue_," and
that but "FEW" of those then in the Church should "_stand to receive
an inheritance_."--(See Book of Doctrine and Covenants, page 151 [sec.
63.]) The blood of many hundreds of Saints who have been slain and
martyred in this church, is an incontrovertible evidence of the truth
of the prediction. Surely Mr Smith must have been a prophet of God to
have foreseen not only the rise of the church of the Saints, but that
their blood should cry aloud from the ground for vengeance upon the
nation who should perpetrate these bloody deeds. No human foresight
could have seen the bloody sceneries that were to take place after the
rise of the church. All natural appearances in the United States were
against the fulfillment of this dreadful prediction. Every religious
society throughout the whole country was strongly guarded against
persecution and religious intolerance by the strong arm of the civil
law. The glorious constitution of this great and free people proclaimed
religious freedom to every son and daughter of Columbia's soil: yet,
in the midst of this boasted land of freedom and religious rights,
where universal peace seemed to have selected her quiet dwelling
place, the voice of the great prophet is heard predicting the rise of
the Latter-day Church, and the bloody persecutions that should follow
her "from city to city, and from synagogue to synagogue." Never were
there any prophecies more literally and palpably fulfilled since the
creation of the earth. If the foretelling of future events that could
not possibly have been foreseen by human wisdom--events, too, that to
all outward appearances were very unlikely to come to pass: if the
predicting of such events and their subsequent fulfillment constitute a
true prophet, then Joseph Smith must have been a true prophet, and, if
a true prophet, _he must have been sent of God_.
Tenth.--There are many thousands of living witnesses who testify
that God has _revealed_ unto them the truth of the Book of Mormon,
by dreams, by visions, by the revelations of the Holy Ghost, by the
ministering of angels, and by his own voice. Now, if Mr. Smith is an
impostor, all these witnesses must be impostors also. Perhaps it may
be said, that these witnesses are not impostors, but are deceived
themselves. But, we ask, can any man testify that he KNOWS a false
doctrine to be true, and still not be an impostor? Men frequently are
deceived when they testify their _opinions_, but never deceived when
they testify they have a _knowledge_. Such must either be impostors,
or else their doctrine must be true. Now, would it not be marvellously
strange indeed, if even three or four men who were entirely
disconnected, being strangers to each other, should all undertake
to deceive mankind by testifying that an angel of God had descended
before them, or that an heavenly vision had been shown to them, or that
God had in some other marvellous way manifested to them the divine
authenticity of the Book of Mormon? If the testimony of three or four
impostors would appear marvellous, how infinitely more marvellous would
appear the testimony of tens of thousands of impostors in different
countries, widely separated from each other, and who never saw each
other's faces, and yet all endeavouring to palm upon the world the same
great imposition! If many thousands of witnesses do testify boldly,
with words of soberness, that God has revealed to them that this is his
church or kingdom that was to be set up in the last days, then we have
an overwhelming flood of collateral evidence to establish the divine
mission of Joseph Smith.