Читать книгу The Articles of Faith - James E. Talmage - Страница 7

1. The "Articles of Faith" date from March 1, 1841. They constitute a portion of a letter from the Prophet Joseph Smith to a Mr. Wentworth, of Chicago. The "Articles" were published in the History of Joseph Smith: (See Millennial Star, vol. XIX, p. 120; also Times and Seasons, vol. III, p. 709.) As stated elsewhere, the Articles have been formally adopted by the Church as an authorized summary of its principal doctrines.

2. Joseph Smith's Early Persecution.—The Prophet wrote as follows concerning the persecution of his boyhood days, which dated from the time of his first mention of his vision of the Father and the Son:—"It has often caused me serious reflection, both then and since, how very strange it was that an obscure boy, a little over fourteen years of age, and one too who was doomed to the necessity of obtaining a scanty maintenance by his daily labor, should be thought a character of sufficient importance to attract the attention of the great ones of the most popular sects of the day, so as to create in them a spirit of the hottest persecution and reviling. But strange or not, so it was, and was often cause of great sorrow to myself. However, it was, nevertheless, a fact that I had had a vision. I have thought since that I felt much like Paul when he made his defense before King Agrippa, and related the account of the vision he had when he saw a light and heard a voice, but still there were but a few who believed him; some said he was dishonest, others said he was mad, and he was ridiculed and reviled; but all this did not destroy the reality of his vision. He had seen a vision, he knew he had, and all the persecution under heaven could not make it otherwise; … So it was with me; I had actually seen a light, and in the midst of that light I saw two personages, and they did in reality speak unto me, or one of them did; and though I was hated and persecuted for saying that I had seen a vision, yet it was true; and while they were persecuting me, reviling me, and speaking all manner of evil against me, falsely, for so saying, I was led to say in my heart, Why persecute for telling the truth? I had actually seen a vision, and who am I that I can withstand God?" Pearl of Great Price:—Extracts from the History of Joseph Smith: 23–25.

3. Tribute to Joseph Smith.—While few people outside the Church have had much to say in commendation of this modern prophet, it is interesting to note that there are some honorable exceptions to the rule. Josiah Quincy, a prominent American, made the acquaintance of Joseph Smith a short time before the latter's martyrdom; and after the tragic event he wrote: "It is by no means improbable that some future text-book, 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, may be an obvious commonplace to their descendants. History deals in surprises and paradoxes quite as startling as this. The man who establishes 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. … The most vital questions Americans are asking each other today have to do with this man and what he has left us. … 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 offence, and shall die innocent.'" Figures of the Past by Josiah Quincy, p. 376.

4. The Seal of Martyrdom.—"The highest evidence of sincerity that a man can give his fellow-men—the highest proof that he has spoken the truth in any given case—is that he perseveres in it unto death, and seals his testimony with his blood. … So important did such a testimony become in the estimation of Paul, that he said 'Where a testament is there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.' (Heb. ix, 16–17.) In the light of this principle, and when the importance of the great testimony which he bore to the world is taken into account, it is not to be wondered at that Joseph Smith was called upon to affix the broad seal of martyrdom to his life's work. Something of incompleteness in his work would likely have been complained of had this been lacking; but now, not so; his character of prophet was rounded out to complete fulness by his falling a martyr under the murderous fire of a mob at Carthage in the State of Illinois."—Elder B. H. Roberts, in "A New Witness for God," pp. 477–478.

5. Joseph Smith; Further References.—For biography, see "The Life of Joseph Smith, the Prophet," by Pres. George Q. Cannon. See also "Divine Authority, or the question, Was Joseph Smith Sent of God?" a pamphlet by Apostle Orson Pratt; "Joseph Smith's Prophetic Calling;" Millennial Star, Vol. XLII, pp. 164, 187, 195, 227. Letters, by Elder Orson Spencer to Rev. Wm. Crowell; No. 1; "A New Witness for God," by Elder B. H. Roberts.

6. Joseph Smith's Descent.—"Joseph Smith was of humble birth. His parents and their progenitors were toilers, but their characters were godly and their names unstained. Near the middle of the seventeenth century Robert Smith, a sturdy yeoman of England, emigrated to the New World, the land of promise. With his wife, Mary, he settled in Essex, Massachusetts. The numerous descendants of these worthy people intermarried with many of the staunchest and most industrious families of New England. Samuel, the son of Robert and Mary, born January 26th, 1666, wedded Rebecca Curtis, January 25th, 1707. Their son, the second Samuel, was born January 26th, 1714; he married Priscilla Gould, and was the father of Asael, born March 1st, 1744. Asael Smith took to wife Mary Duty, and their son Joseph was born July 12th, 1771. On the 24th of January, 1796, Joseph married Lucy Mack at Tunbridge in the State of Vermont. She was born July 8th, 1776, and was the daughter of Solomon and Lydia Mack, and was the granddaughter of Ebenezer Mack."—The Life of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, by George Q. Cannon; Chapter I. Joseph the Prophet was the third son and fourth child of Joseph and Lucy (Mack) Smith; he was born at Sharon, Vermont, December 23d, 1805.

7. The Standard Works of the Church.—The Bible and the Book of Mormon—the first two of the standard works of the Church—are to receive attention in later lectures (see pp. 240–307). The Doctrine and Covenants is a compilation of modern revelations as given to the Church in the present dispensation. The Pearl of Great Price comprises the visions and writings of Moses as revealed to Joseph Smith, the Book of Abraham—a translation by Joseph Smith from certain ancient papyri—and some of the writings of Joseph Smith.

8. History of the Restored Church.—Further information regarding the life work of Joseph Smith, and the growth of the Church of Jesus Christ as restored to earth through his instrumentality, may be found in the "History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," Salt Lake City, Utah. For a brief synopsis of Church history see "The Story of Mormonism," by James E. Talmage, Liverpool, 1907; Salt Lake City, 1910.

9. Restoration of the Gospel.—Plainly the vision-prophecy of John (Rev. xiv, 6, 7), relating to the restoration of the gospel to earth, could not refer to the gospel record preserved in the Holy Bible, for that record has remained in the possession of mankind. As stated in our text (page 14) a partial fulfilment is found in the visitation of Moroni and the restoration of the Book of Mormon, which is to us of modern times a new scripture, and one containing a fuller record of "the everlasting gospel." However, a record of the gospel is not the gospel itself. Authority to administer in the saving ordinances of the gospel is essential to the effective preaching and administration thereof; this was restored through John the Baptist, who brought the Aaronic Priesthood, and through Peter, James, and John who brought again to earth the Melchizedek Priesthood (see pp. 193, 194 herein). For commentary on Rev. xiv, 6, 7, see "The Great Apostasy," p. 168.