If a builder should succeed in erecting one of the most magnificent structures the world has ever seen, without any previous training and without any plans to guide him, he would be looked upon as the most remarkable genius that ever was known. The church organization instituted by Joseph Smith is like a complete structure, perfect in every detail, and yet built up piece by piece without any preconceived plan being drawn up or experiment being made, so far as the Prophet was concerned. The only idea he had of the grand system he was putting in order was revealed to him at various times as occasion required. But when the whole order of church government was revealed it was discovered to be perfect, and though the Church has now existed for sixty-eight years there has never arisen any occasion for changing the order laid down in the beginning. Its workings have been harmonious in every detail; and should the Church increase {260} in numbers indefinitely there would be no occasion for making any change in the system revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith. ALL HIS WORKS PROCLAIM HIM A PROPHET. A thorough acquaintance with the works of Joseph Smith must convince the student of them that he was truly a Prophet of God. If it be denied that he was such, how shall the superior wisdom that prompted his words and actions be accounted for? His ideas of theology, of philosophy, of statesmanship, and even astronomy and other branches of learning, were far in advance of what was known to the world in his day; and since then many of his doctrines have been accepted by the learned, and advocated as new discoveries. The most reasonable way of accounting for the wonderful works of Joseph Smith is to acknowledge that he was a Prophet of God, sent as a divine messenger to open up the dispensation of the fullness of times, and to prepare for the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, whose glorious reign is near at hand. THE BOOK OF MORMON. AN EVIDENCE OF THE INSPIRATION OF JOSEPH SMITH. ITS PURPORT. Before the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized, the Prophet Joseph Smith brought forth a book--the most remarkable work of the age. It purports to give an account of the ancient people of the American continent and the dealings of the Lord with them. The Prophet claimed that it was translated by the power of the Lord from writings engraved upon plates that had the appearance of gold. The plates were found buried on the side of a hill in New York state, and their whereabouts was revealed to the Prophet by an angel.