The Latter-Day Prophet: History of Joseph Smith Written for Young PeopleCannon, George Q. (George Quayle)
History
The Latter-Day Prophet: History of Joseph Smith Written for Young People
Cannon, George Q. (George Quayle)
Smith, Joseph, Jr., 1805-1844 -- Juvenile literature
When the Church was organized in 1830 the Lord did not command that
all the officers should be appointed at once. But as the knowledge and
needs of the people increased, He revealed the other offices in the
Church and Priesthood. Joseph was not immediately made President with
two counselors. For a long time there was no quorum of Twelve Apostles
or of Seventy. Men had to be proved, before they could be put into such
positions. When the proper time came Joseph was directed to fill up the
offices until at length the organization was complete.
It was nearly a year, you remember, after the organization of the
Church that Edward Partridge was called to be the first Bishop. He
went to Missouri and made his home with the Saints there, and Newel K.
Whitney was afterwards appointed, on December 4, 1831, to be Bishop at
Kirtland. At this time Joseph received a revelation telling what the
duties of Bishop are.
For a year and a half the Prophet had not been disturbed by mobs. When
he left Colesville the last time he began to enjoy some peace. But
Satan could not be idle very long while Joseph Smith was alive and
free, and an opportunity soon came to injure the Prophet. Ezra Booth
apostatized and began to lie about him and to fight the Church. The
truth is that Satan finds his best tools in the apostates. The devil,
you know, is one himself--he apostatized in heaven, and he knows well
how to use a person who has denied the faith.
This Ezra Booth had been a Methodist priest, but was converted by
seeing some one suddenly healed. He was like Simon, the sorcerer, who
offered the ancient Apostles money for the power to confer the Holy
Ghost. He wanted the Priesthood, not that he might bless people but
that he might smite them and compel them to believe and thus make a
great display. When he found that he must be humble and pure if he
obtained power in the Priesthood he left the Church and wrote false
letters to make the people hate Joseph.
Others at Hiram apostatized also and became very bitter enemies. They
were even filled with the spirit of murder that they might destroy the
servants of God--men cannot be worse than that.
Emma Smith had twin babies that she had adopted when they were only
nine days old. In the spring of 1832, when they were nearly a year old
they caught the measles. On the night of March 25th, Joseph sat up
with the sicker child until late and then lay down beside it on the
trundle-bed and fell asleep. A scream of "murder!" from Emma waked him.
He was in the hands of the mob and they were dragging him through the
door. He loosened one foot from their hold and kicked one ruffian in
the face and sent him sprawling down the door-step, with blood spurting
from his nose. But there were too many for him, and he could not get
free. They cursed him and choked him until he fainted.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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