"If ye desire the mysteries of the kingdom, _provide for Him_ [Smith] _food and raiment_ and whatsoever he needeth to accomplish the work." [166] [Footnote 166: Doctrine and Covenants, 43:13.] "He who _feeds_ you, or _clothes_ you, or gives you _money_ shall in no wise lose his reward." [167] [Footnote 167: Doctrine and Covenants, 84:90.] "He that _sendeth up treasures_ unto the land of Zion shall receive an inheritance in this world." [168] [Footnote 168: Doctrine and Covenants, 64:48.] "I command that thou shall not covet thine own property." [169] [Footnote 169: Doctrine and Covenants, 19:26.] "Your money or your damnation" has about as much ethical sanction as the less pretentious demand of the highwayman who says, "Your money or your life." But we have not yet reached the end. The "Prophet's" father, who, prior to the discovery of the alleged divine mission of his son, eked out only a scanty living as a dispenser of cake and root beer, [170] now became the dispenser of patriarchal blessings at ten dollars per week and expenses, [171] and later at three dollars per bless. [172] [Footnote 170: "Origin, Rise and Progress of Mormonism," 12.] [Footnote 171: 15 _Millennial Star_, 308.] [Footnote 172: "Mormon Portraits," 16.] The Prophet's brothers and friends received a gift of real estate by revelation, [173] and another brother of the Prophet was retained in a holy office, though confessedly concealing his property to cheat his creditors. [174] [Footnote 173: Doctrine and Covenants, Sec. 94.] [Footnote 174: 15 _Millennial Star_, 520.] These are a part and by no means all of the evidence tending to establish that a desire for money was the inspiring cause of every act of the Mormon Prophet, the very divinity that moulded his thoughts and revelations, and brought into being Mormon's books. Before becoming a Prophet, Joseph Smith's earning capacity as a peep-stone money digger was $14 per month. [175] Soon after becoming a Prophet he became president of a bank. [176] In 1842 the Prophet (together with his brother Hyrum and Sidney Rigdon) took advantage of the bankruptcy law to avoid creditors, whose claims amounted to one hundred thousand dollars. [177] A few years later the Prophet was killed, he being at the time the richest man in Nauvoo. [Footnote 175: 16 _Millennial Star,_ 151.] [Footnote 176: "Gleanings by the Way," 334. Sometimes Smith was cashier and Rigdon President. "Prophet of Palmyra," 135.] [Footnote 177: 19 _Millennial Star_, 343. 20 _Millennial Star,_ 106-216-246. "Mormonism and Mormons," 338.] Through the whole story of their lives, if we may believe their alleged revelations to come from on high, God manifests in the conspirators' behalf a greed for earthly prosperity which would disgrace any decent man who should attempt to gratify it at the expense of a like number of poverty-stricken, ignorant unfortunates.