(Part nineteen of a series compiled by Dennis B. Horne)
While
the standard procedure for the First Presidency is to ignore the enemies and
critics of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they do sometimes manifest
an awareness of what the devil’s mortal emissaries are saying and doing. As a
natural result, President Hinckley occasionally referenced their public and
private efforts to disturb or distract, or to diminish or destroy faith in
Jesus Christ and His modern prophets. As President Hinckley noted, many of them
have targeted Joseph Smith and his First Vision—and (as he notes) while they
have had some small success among the weak in testimony, the true and faithful
have not faltered.
The
below statements and explanations given by President Hinckley over past decades
are not exclusive to defending the First Vision only (his defense was much
broader than that), but enough is mentioned on that subject to warrant
inclusion here. Further, all can be benefited by his prophetic counsel on
handling criticism of all kinds. His larger perspective placing the Prophet’s
and the modern Church’s critics in their true context in relation to the
kingdom of God and eternity is a valuable lesson to all. This prophet knew how
to put the devil in his place:
What about
the critics of the Church who have been so vocal of late?
We have
them. We have always had them. They are not as vociferous as they once were.
Noisy as they are, they are not as threatening. People ask whether we are
fearful of research of our history. My reply to this is no, of course not,
provided it is done with balance and integrity, as has been done by some
scholars both in and out of the Church.
However, we
are under no obligation to spend tithing funds to provide facilities and
resources to those who have demonstrated that it is their objective to attack
the Church and undermine its mission. These funds are sacred. They have been
consecrated by the faithful to advance the work, and that is the way they will
be used.
Our
responsibility is to teach the gospel to the nations of the earth, to bear
witness of the reality of God our Eternal Father, to declare the divinity of
the Lord Jesus Christ, to testify that Their work has been restored in this
dispensation for the accomplishment of Their eternal purposes, and to move that
work forward under the mandate given us. This will require our time, our
energies, and the resources available to us.
When we are
called before the bar of God to give an accounting of our performance, I think
it unlikely that any of us will be commended for wearing out our lives in an
effort to find some morsel of history, incomplete in its context, to cast doubt
on the integrity of this work. Rather, I believe we will be examined on what we
did to build the kingdom, to bring light and understanding of the eternal
truths of the gospel to the eyes and minds of all who are willing to listen, to
care for the poor and the needy, and to make of the world a better place as a
result of our presence.
An
acquaintance said to me one day: “I admire your church very much. I think I
could accept everything about it—except Joseph Smith.” To which I responded: “That statement is a
contradiction. If you accept the revelation, you must accept the revelator.”
It is a
constantly recurring mystery to me how some people speak with admiration for
the Church and its work, while at the same time disdaining him through whom, as
a servant of the Lord, came the framework of all that the Church is, of all
that it teaches, and of all that it stands for. They would pluck the fruit from
the tree while cutting off the root from which it grows. . . .
Not long
ago, while riding in a plane, I engaged in conversation with a young man who
was seated beside me. We moved from one subject to another, and then came to
the matter of religion. He said that he had read considerably about the
Mormons, that he had found much to admire in their practices, but that he had a
definite prejudice concerning the story of the origin of the Church and
particularly Joseph Smith. He was an active member of another organization, and
when I asked where he had acquired his information, he indicated that it had
come from publications of his church. I asked what company he worked for. He
proudly replied that he was a sales representative for IBM. I then asked
whether he would think it fair for his customers to learn of the qualities of
IBM products from a Xerox representative. He replied with a smile, “I think I
get the point of what you’re trying to say.”
I took from
my case a copy of the Doctrine and Covenants and read to him the words of the
Lord expressed through Joseph Smith, words which are the source of those
practices my friend had come to admire in us while disdaining the man through
whom they had come. Before we parted, he agreed to read the literature I would
send to him. I promised him that if he would do so prayerfully he would know
the truth not only of these doctrines and practices which have interested him,
but also of the man through whom they were introduced. I then gave him my
testimony of my conviction concerning the prophetic calling of Joseph Smith.
We do not
worship the Prophet. We worship God our Eternal Father, and the risen Lord
Jesus Christ. But we acknowledge him, we proclaim him, we respect him, we
reverence him as an instrument in the hands of the Almighty in restoring to the
earth the ancient truths of the divine gospel, together with the priesthood
through which the authority of God is exercised in the affairs of his church
and for the blessing of his people.
The story
of Joseph’s life is the story of a miracle. He was born in poverty. He was
reared in adversity. He was driven from place to place, falsely accused, and
illegally imprisoned. He was murdered at the age of thirty-eight. Yet in the
brief space of twenty years preceding his death he accomplished what none other
has accomplished in an entire lifetime. He translated and published the Book of
Mormon, a volume of 522 pages which has since been retranslated into more than
a score of languages and which is accepted by millions across the earth as the
word of God. The revelations he received and other writings he produced are
likewise scripture to these millions. The total in book pages constitutes the
equivalent of almost the entire Old Testament of the Bible, and it all came
through one man in the space of a few years.
In this
same period he established an organization which for almost a century and a
half has withstood every adversity and challenge, and is as effective today in
governing a worldwide membership of more than three and a half million as it
was 145 years ago in governing a membership of three thousand. There are those
doubters who have strained to explain this remarkable organization as the
product of the times in which he lived. That organization, I submit, was as
peculiar, as unique, and as remarkable then as it is today. It was not a
product of the times. It came as a revelation from God.
Joseph
Smith’s vision of man’s immortal nature reached from an existence before birth
to the eternities beyond the grave. He taught that salvation is universal in
that all men will become the beneficiaries of the resurrection through the
atonement wrought by the Savior. But beyond this gift is the requirement of
obedience to the principles of the gospel and the promise of consequent
happiness in this life and exaltation in the life to come.
Nor was the
gospel he taught limited in application to those of his own and future
generations. The mind of Joseph Smith, tutored by the God of heaven,
encompassed all mankind of all generations. Both the living and the dead must
have the opportunity to partake of gospel ordinances.
Peter of
old declared: “For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are
dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live
according to God in the spirit.” (1
Pet. 4:6.) In the case of the dead there must be vicarious work if they are
to be judged according to men in the flesh, and in order to accomplish this
they must be identified; hence the great genealogical program of The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was not established to satisfy the
interests of a hobby, but to accomplish the eternal purposes of God.
Within the space of that twenty years preceding his death,
Joseph Smith set in motion a program for carrying the gospel to the nations of
the earth. I marvel at the boldness with which he moved. Even in the infant
days of the Church, in times of dark adversity, men were called to leave homes
and families, to cross the sea, to proclaim the restoration of the gospel of
Jesus Christ. His mind, his vision encompassed the entire earth.
Now, I hope
you will pardon my speaking in a personal vein for three or four minutes. It
was twenty years ago, at the October conference, that I was sustained a member
of the Council of the Twelve Apostles. Previously, for two and a half years, I
had served as an Assistant to the Twelve. These have been eventful years,
during which four great and inspired men have presided over the Church—David O. McKay, Joseph Fielding Smith, Harold B.
Lee, and Spencer W. Kimball. They have been years in which the Church has moved
out across the world in a remarkable way. They have been years in which
millions of members have been added. They have also been years in which strong
voices have been raised against us. We have been criticized, but this criticism
has in no way deterred the progress of the work. In fact, it has brought many
to our defense and our support, and in some instances it has added to our
numbers.
For more
than a century and a half, enemies, critics, and some would-be scholars have worn
out their lives trying to disprove the validity of that vision. Of course they
cannot understand it. The things of God are understood by the Spirit of God.
There had been nothing of comparable magnitude since the Son of God walked the
earth in mortality. Without it as a foundation stone for our faith and
organization, we have nothing. With it, we have everything.
Much has been written, much will be written, in an effort to
explain it away. The finite mind cannot comprehend it. But the testimony of the
Holy Spirit, experienced by countless numbers of people all through the years
since it happened, bears witness that it is true, that it happened as Joseph
Smith said it happened, that it was as real as the sunrise over Palmyra, that
it is an essential foundation stone, a cornerstone, without which the Church
could not be “fitly framed together.”
There are
those who criticize when we issue a statement of counsel or warning. Please
know that our pleadings are not motivated by any selfish desire. Please know
that our warnings are not without substance and reason. Please know that the
decisions to speak out on various matters are not reached without deliberation,
discussion, and prayer.
We have
critics both within and without. Although they are vocal and have access to the
media, they are relatively few in number. If we were entirely without
criticism, we would be concerned. Our responsibility is not to please the world
but, rather, to do the will of the Lord, and from the beginning the divine will
so often has been contrary to the ways of the world.
These
worldly ways appear to be on a course that should be of concern to every
thoughtful man and woman.
Let not any
voices of discontent disturb you. Let not the critics worry you. As Alma
declared long ago, “Trust no one to be your teacher nor your minister, except
he be a man of God, walking in his ways and keeping his commandments” (Mosiah
23:14). . . .
As surely
as this is the work of the Lord, there will be opposition. There will be those,
perhaps not a few, who with the sophistry of beguiling words and clever design
will spread doubt and seek to undermine the foundation on which this cause is
established. They will have their brief day in the sun. They may have for a
brief season the plaudits of the doubters and the skeptics and the critics. But
they will fade and be forgotten as have their kind in the past.
Meanwhile, we shall go forward, regardless of their
criticism, aware of but undeterred by their statements and actions. Said the
Lord even before the Church was organized:
“Therefore,
fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if
ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail. …
“Look unto
me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.
Today we
walk in the sunlight of goodwill. There is a tendency on the part of some to
become indifferent. There are those who drift off seeking the enticements of
the world, forsaking the cause of the Lord. I see others who think it is all
right to lower their standards, perhaps in small ways. In this very process
they lose the cutting edge of enthusiasm for this work. For instance, they
think the violation of the Sabbath is a thing of unimportance. They neglect
their meetings. They become critical. They engage in backbiting. Before long they
have drifted from the Church.
There have
been makers of threats, naysayers, and criers of doom. They have tried in every
conceivable way to injure and destroy this church. But we are still here,
stronger and more determined to move it forward. To me it is exciting. It is wonderful.
We are witnessing
the answer to that remarkable pleading. Increasingly the Church is being
recognized at home and abroad for what it truly is. There are still those, not
a few, who criticize and rebel, who apostatize and lift their voices against
this work. We have always had them. They speak their piece as they walk across
the stage of life, and then they are soon forgotten. I suppose we always will
have them as long as we are trying to do the work of the Lord. The honest in
heart will detect that which is true and that which is false. We go forward,
marching as an army with banners emblazoned with the everlasting truth. We are
a cause that is militant for truth and goodness.
Our critics
at home and abroad are watching us. In an effort to find fault, they listen to
every word we say, hoping to entrap us. We may stumble now and again. But the
work will not be materially hindered. We will stand up where we fell and go
forward.
We have
nothing to fear and everything to gain. God is at the helm. We will seek His
direction. We will listen to the still, small voice of revelation. And we will
go forward as He directs.
His Church
will not be misled. Never fear that. If there were any disposition on the part
of its leaders to do so, He could remove them.
We are not
without critics, some of whom are mean and vicious. We have always had them,
and I suppose we will have them all through the future. But we shall go
forward, returning good for evil, being helpful and kind and generous. I remind
you of the teachings of our Lord concerning these matters. You are all
acquainted with them.
There is another aspect of this
matter. There is rampant among us a spirit of criticism. Perhaps it is a part
of the age in which we live. We are constantly exposed to the writings of
newspaper columnists and the opinions of radio and television commentators.
Their major objective, it seems to me, is to find fault. They are critical,
sometimes viciously so. They are critical of political figures. They are
critical of church leaders. None of us is perfect; all of us occasionally make
mistakes. There was only one perfect individual who ever walked the earth. Men
and women who carry heavy responsibility do not need criticism, they need
encouragement. One can disagree with policy without being disagreeable
concerning the policymaker.
I would plead with you women, young
and old, to restrain your tongues in criticism of others. It is so easy to find
fault. It is so much nobler to speak constructively.
We live in a society that feeds on
criticism. Faultfinding is the substance of columnists and commentators, and
there is too much of this among our own people.
Critics may wear out their lives in
trying to deny or demean or cast doubt, but all who ask of God in faith have
the assurance that by the voice of the Spirit will come the certainty that this
work is divine.
Now there
is another matter I wish to mention. And perhaps I could repeat a few lines
that I spoke on another occasion:
We now seem
to have a great host of critics. Some appear intent on trying to destroy us.
They belittle that which we call divine.
In their
cultivated faultfinding, they see not the majesty of the great onrolling of
this cause. They have lost sight of the spark that was kindled in Palmyra which
is now lighting fires of faith across the earth, in many lands and in many
languages. Wearing the spectacles of humanism, they fail
to realize that spiritual promptings, with recognition of the influence of the
Holy Ghost, had as much to do with the actions of our forebears as did the
processes of the mind. They have failed to realize that religion is as much
concerned with the heart as it is with the intellect.
We have
those critics who appear to wish to cull out of a vast panorama of information
those items which demean and belittle some of the men and women of the past who
worked so hard in laying the foundation of this great cause. They find readers
of their works who seem to delight in picking up these tidbits, and in chewing
them over and relishing them. In so doing they are savoring a pickle, rather
than eating a delicious and satisfying dinner of several courses.
We recognize that our forebears were human. They doubtless
made mistakes. … But the mistakes were minor, when compared with the marvelous
work which they accomplished. To highlight the mistakes and gloss over the
greater good is to draw a caricature. Caricatures are amusing, but they are often
ugly and dishonest. A man may have a blemish on his cheek and still have a face
of beauty and strength, but if the blemish is emphasized unduly in relation to
his other features, the portrait is lacking in integrity.
There was
only one perfect man who ever walked the earth. The Lord has used imperfect
people in the process of building his perfect society. If some of them
occasionally stumbled, or if their characters may have been slightly flawed in
one way or another, the wonder is the greater that they accomplished so much. …
I do not
fear truth. I welcome it. But I wish all of my facts in their proper context,
with emphasis on those elements which explain the great growth and power of
this organization.
There is promise, given under inspiration from the Almighty,
set forth in these beautiful words:
“God shall give unto you knowledge by his Holy Spirit, yea,
by the unspeakable gift of the Holy Ghost.” (D&C 121:26.)
The
humanists who criticize us, the so-called intellectuals who demean us, speak
only from ignorance of this manifestation. … They have not heard it because
they have not sought after it and prepared themselves to be worthy of it. …
Do not be
trapped by the sophistry of the world which for the most part is negative and
which seldom, if ever, bears good fruit. … Rather, “look to God and live.” (Alma 37:47.)
Brethren,
the Church is true. Those who lead it have only one desire, and that is to do
the will of the Lord. They seek his direction in all things. There is not a
decision of significance affecting the Church and its people that is made
without prayerful consideration, going to the fount of all wisdom for
direction. Follow the leadership of the Church. God will not let his work be
led astray.
Do not fear
concerning the Church. We have had mentioned in this conference some of our
critics. They mock that which is most holy to us. They jest over and hold up to
ridicule that which has come by revelation from the Almighty. Any man who tries
to find humor at the expense of that which is sacred to another is deeply
flawed in character. Shame on those who stoop to such actions in the name of
fun and on those who witness and laugh. Simple courtesy would dictate a decent
respect for that which is sacred to neighbors and associates in one’s society.
The Lord
himself has said, “Remember that that which cometh from above is sacred, and
must be spoken with care, and by constraint of the Spirit.” (D&C 63:64.)
As has been
indicated, there are a few who have taken it upon themselves as their mission
to belittle and demean and destroy the faith of the weak, with a badly flawed
argument that we are not Christians.
To all of
these we have a twofold answer, quietly spoken. The first is this: Would a true
follower of Christ, a follower of him who was the epitome of love and mercy and
consideration, so seek to injure another?
The second:
We ask only that we be judged by our fruits. Said the Master:
“Ye shall
know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
“Even so every
good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil
fruit.
“A good
tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good
fruit. …
By that
standard we are willing to be judged.
At a time
when we were under far more intensive siege than we are today, President Joseph
F. Smith stood at this pulpit in this Tabernacle and said:
“We thank
God for His mercies and blessings; and I do not know but what we owe in some
small degree gratitude to those who have bitterly opposed the work of the Lord;
for in all their opposings and bitter strife against our people the Lord has
developed His power and wisdom, and has brought His people more fully into the
knowledge and favor of the intelligent people of the earth. Through the very
means used by those who have opposed the work of God, He has brought out good
for Zion. Yet, it is written, and I believe it is true, that although it must
needs be that offenses come, woe unto them by whom they come; but they are in
the hands of the Lord as we are. We bring no railing accusation against them.
We are willing to leave them in the hands of the Almighty to deal with them as
seemeth Him good. Our business is to work righteousness in the earth, to seek
for the development of a knowledge of God’s will and of God’s ways, and of His
great and glorious truths which He has revealed through the instrumentality of
Joseph the Prophet, not only for the salvation of the living but for the
redemption and salvation of the dead.” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1908, pp.
2–3.)
And so we
let the matter rest there.
Be faithful
to the gospel. Be faithful to the Church. We have all about us those who are
seeking to undermine it, to look for weaknesses in its early leaders, to find
fault with its programs, to speak critically of it. I give you my testimony
that it is the work of God, and those who speak against it are speaking against
him.
But the
adversary has not been unmindful of it. The building and dedication of these
sacred edifices have been accompanied by a surge of opposition from a few
enemies of the Church as well as criticism from a few within. This has brought
to mind a statement of Brigham Young in 1861 while the Salt Lake Temple was
under construction. Evidently when someone with previous experience was asked
to work on the Salt Lake Temple, he responded, “I do not like to do it, for we
never began to build a Temple without the bells of hell beginning to ring.”
To which Brigham Young replied, “I want to hear them ring
again. All the tribes of hell will be on the move, if we uncover the walls of
this Temple. But what do you think it will amount to? You have all the time
seen what it has amounted to.” (In Journal of Discourses, 8:355–56.)
Yes, in
these recent times we have felt much of opposition, but we have also noted the
frustration of those who have tried to stop this work. We have been
strengthened, and we have moved forward under the promise of the Lord, who
said: “I will not suffer that they [the enemy] shall destroy my work; yea, I
will show unto them that my wisdom is greater than the cunning of the devil.” (D&C 10:43.)
I was
handed a tract the other day. It was written by a critic, an enemy of the
Church whose desire is to undermine the faith of the weak and the unknowing. It
repeats fallacies that have been parroted for a century and more.
What is all
of this of which I speak? It is the lengthened shadow of the hand of God. It is
the lengthened shadow of a mighty prophet, Joseph Smith, who was called and
ordained to open this, the dispensation of the fulness of times spoken of in
the scriptures. His numerous critics, now as in the past, spend their lives in
trying to explain him on some basis other than the one which he gave.
Of what
credibility, I ask, is their estimate in comparison with the opinions of those
who were at his side in laying the foundations of this ever-growing,
ever-strengthening cause?
And now,
speaking of prayer, I touch on another matter. Last April, I spoke to the
regional representatives of the Church, as I have done for a number of years on
each occasion when they have come for general conference. These are training
meetings where the regional representatives get information that they may carry
with them across the Church. There is nothing secret or hidden about what is
done there.
However,
recently I heard that someone had secured a copy of my talk, looking upon that
as a singular accomplishment, as if it had been given in a secret and sinister
manner, designed to keep it from the world. This is nonsense.
I am led to
this subject by a letter, which I read only Friday, written by a New York
evangelist who with diatribe and hate lashed out against the Prophet Joseph,
calling him a wicked imposter, a fraud, a fake, and a deceiver and declaring
that he was undertaking a national campaign to prove it. I do not know whether
anything will come of his campaign; whatever happens, it will not be
significant. It may topple a few of the weak, but it will only strengthen the
strong. And long after this man and others of his kind have gone down to
silence, the name of Joseph Smith will ring with honor and love in the hearts
of an ever-growing band of Latter-day Saints in an ever-increasing number of
nations of the earth. . . .
And so,
while in Nauvoo the other day I reflected on the preparation for prophethood: I
reflected on this amazing Joseph Smith. I cannot expect his detractors,
including the writer of the letter I read on Friday, to know of his prophetic
calling by the power of the Holy Ghost; but I can raise some questions for him
and other critics to deal with before they can dismiss Joseph Smith as a false
prophet. I have time for only three of many that might be asked: first, what do
you do with the Book of Mormon? second, how do you explain his power to
influence strong men to follow him, even unto death? and third, how do you
rationalize the fulfillment of his prophecies?
Here is the Book of Mormon. I hold it in my hand. I read its
words. I have read Joseph Smith’s explanation of how it came to be. To the
unbelieving it is a story difficult to accept, and critics by the score have
worn out their lives writing books intended to refute that story and to offer
explanations other than the one given by Joseph Smith. But their critical
writing only has the effect of stimulating scholars to dig the deeper, and the
more deeply they dig the greater the accumulation of evidence for the validity of
the story.
To return
to my first question to the critics: What do you do with the Book of Mormon? It
is here to be handled and to be read with prayer and earnest inquiry. All of
the work of all of the critics throughout the hundred and fifty years of its
presence has lacked credibility in the cold light of fact and has been without
effect on those who have prayerfully read the book and received by the power of
the Holy Ghost a witness of its truth. If there were no other evidence for the
divine mission of Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon would stand as an
irrefutable witness of that fact. To think that anyone less than one inspired
could bring forth a book which should have so profound an effect for good upon
others is to imagine that which simply cannot be. The evidence for the truth of
the Book of Mormon is found in the lives of the millions, living and gone, who
have read it, prayed about it, and received a witness of its truth.
My second
question to the critics: How do you explain Joseph’s power to influence strong
men and women to follow him, even unto death? Anyone who has any doubt about
Joseph Smith’s power of leadership need only look at the men who were attracted
to him. They did not come for wealth. They did not come for political power.
They were not drawn by dreams of military conquest. His offering to them was
none of these; rather, it concerned only salvation through faith in the Lord
Jesus Christ. It involved persecution with its pains and losses, long and
lonely missions, separation from family and friends, and in many cases death
itself. . . .
Question three to the critics: What of his prophecies? There
were more than a few, and they were fulfilled. Among the most notable was the
revelation of the Civil War. You are familiar with it; it was spoken on
Christmas Day, 1832. There were many high-minded men and women who deplored the
institution of slavery then common in the South, and there was much talk of
abolition. But who but a prophet of God would have dared to say, thirty-nine
years before it was to happen that “war [would]be poured out upon all nations
beginning at the rebellion of South Carolina” and that “the Southern States
[would]be divided against the Northern States”? (D&C 87:1–3.) That
remarkable prediction saw its fulfillment with the firing on Fort Sumter in
Charleston Harbor in 1861. How could Joseph Smith have possibly foreseen with
such accuracy the event that was to come thirty-nine years after he spoke of
it. Only by the spirit of prophecy which was in him.
Or again,
consider the equally remarkable prophecy concerning the movement of our people
to these mountain valleys. . . .
Great was
his vision. It encompassed all the peoples of mankind, wherever they live, and
all generations who have walked the earth and passed on. How can his critics,
past or present, speak against him except out of ignorance? They have not
tasted of his words; they have not pondered him and prayed about him. As one
who has done these things, I can echo the words of John Taylor who was with him
at Carthage Jail when he was killed and who in his account of that tragedy
wrote this appraisal: “Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done
more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other
man that ever lived in it” (D&C 135:3).
To these I
add my own words of testimony that he was and is a prophet of God, raised up as
an instrument in the hands of the Almighty to usher in a new and final gospel
dispensation.
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