It has been shown in the preceding chapters that Joseph Smith recognized and stated the fundamental laws of all science, the fundamental principles of physical and biological science and astronomy, together with a great number of scientific facts, and made these statements usually in advance of workers in science. It is a surprising fact that a young man of twenty-eight, who had had no educational advantages of schooling, or reading, or society, should state clearly and correctly known laws of science; but it is marvelous that he should state fundamental laws that the workers in science did not discover until many years later. Every honest man, be he friend or enemy, must marvel, and ask, "Whence did this man derive his knowledge?" Was he a man of lively imagination who guessed shrewdly? If so, he was the shrewdest guesser the world has known. All that he said has come true; his bitterest enemies have been unable to prove incorrect statements of facts. Their attacks have always been on the origin of the work, on its ethical ideals (which are largely personal opinions), and on the probability that Joseph Smith was the real founder of "Mormonism"--thus tacitly admitting the greatness of the work. Had he been a guesser, simply, he would have failed somewhere, and thus revealed his weakness. But let any man show one error in the inspired writings of Joseph Smith, even when he dealt with matters which lay far outside of his daily mission. Though thousands of persons have felt impelled to war against "Mormonism," no such error has been found. All human logic denies that he was a guesser. Did he receive his knowledge from well educated persons, who kept themselves in the background? No documentary evidence has been found to substantiate such a view. Primarily, it is unlikely that men of intelligence and education would hide behind an ignorant boy, from the time he was fourteen until his death at thirty-nine years of age. There was nothing to gain by it; the prophet never had more wealth than just enough to live on; the pleasure that his power over his followers gave him, was more than offset by the ceaseless persecution which followed him. Besides, nearly all the fairly well educated men who joined the Church in the early days were given prominent positions in the Church, yet it is known that they were instructed or chastised by the youthful prophet whenever occasion required, as were those of no or little education. Joseph Smith was always greater than any of his followers. But above all, no educated man would have been able to tell Joseph, by means of his education, of things not yet known. The idea that Joseph Smith was only a dummy for clever heads is not tenable.