History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Volume 5Smith, Joseph, Jr.
History
History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Volume 5
Smith, Joseph, Jr.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Smith, Joseph, Jr., 1805-1844
At four, Mr. Lamborn, Mr. Prentice, the marshal, and some half dozen
others called to see me. The marshal said it was the first time during
his administration that the ladies had attended court on a trial. A
peculiarly pleasant and conciliatory feeling prevailed in the company,
and the marshal invited me to a family dinner, when I should be freed.
[Sidenote: The Prophet's View of the Negro Race.]
At five went to Mr. Sollars' with Elders Hyde and Richards. Elder Hyde
inquired the situation of the negro. I replied, they came into the
world slaves mentally and physically. Change their situation with the
whites, and they would be like them. They have souls, and are subjects
of salvation. Go into Cincinnati or any city, and find an educated
negro, who rides in his carriage, and you will see a man who has risen
by the powers of his own mind to his exalted state of respectability.
The slaves in Washington are more refined than many in high places, and
the black boys will take the shine off many of those they brush and
wait on.
Elder Hyde remarked, "Put them on the level, and they will rise above
me." I replied, if I raised you to be my equal, and then attempted
to oppress you, would you not be indignant and try to rise above me,
as did Oliver Cowdery, Peter Whitmer, and many others, who said I
was a fallen Prophet, and they were capable of leading the people,
although I never attempted to oppress them, but had always been lifting
them up? Had I anything to do with {218} the negro, I would confine
them by strict law to their own species, and put them on a national
equalization.
[Sidenote: The World's Lack of Faith.]
Because faith is wanting, the fruits are. No man since the world was
had faith without having something along with it. The ancients quenched
the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, women received
their dead, &c. By faith the worlds were made. A man who has none of
the gifts has no faith; and he deceives himself, if he supposes he has.
Faith has been wanting, not only among the heathen, but in professed
Christendom also, so that tongues, healings, prophecy, and prophets and
apostles, and all the gifts and blessings have been wanting.
[Sidenote: The Meekness of a Prophet.]
Some of the company thought I was not a very meek Prophet; so I told
them: "I am meek and lowly in heart," and will personify Jesus for a
moment, to illustrate the principle, and cried out with a loud voice,
"Woe unto you, ye doctors; woe unto you, ye lawyers; woe unto you, ye
scribes, Pharisees, and hypocrites!" &c. But you cannot find the place
where I ever went that I found fault with their food, their drink,
their house, their lodgings; no, never; and this is what is meant by
the meekness and lowliness of Jesus.
[Sidenote: A Sample of Folly.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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