Divine Authority; Or, the Question: Was Joseph Smith Sent of God?Pratt, Orson
Religion
Divine Authority; Or, the Question: Was Joseph Smith Sent of God?
Pratt, Orson
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- Doctrines; Smith, Joseph, Jr., 1805-1844
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
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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