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ROUGHLY HANDLED IN MISSOURI.
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fane opponents insist that the word is derived from the Greek, and signifies something neither pleasant nor beautiful.[1] At that time, however, he was well-fitted to be publisher of the journal, as he had been a practical printer, but his writings do not seem to have suited the Missourians, and doubtless contributed muck to the commencement of troubles among them.
Joseph returned to Kirtland in June, and devoted his labours to the Saints of that place, but at the same time he maintained a correspondence with "Zion in Missouri," directing and controlling affairs in both places.
- ↑ Joseph Smith, when questioned on the subject, gave the following as the proper derivation of the word:
"I may safely say that the word Mormon stands independent of the learning and wisdom of this generation. Before I give a definition, however, to 'the word, let me say that the Bible, in its widest sense, means good; for the Saviour says, according to the Gospel of St. John, 'I am the good shepherd;' and it will not be beyond the use of terms to say that good is amongst the most important in use, and though known by various names in different languages, still its meaning is the same, and is ever in opposition to bad. We say from the Saxon, good; the Dane, god; the Goth, goda; the German, gut; the Dutch, goed; the Latin, bonus; the Greek, kalos; the Hebrew, tob: and the Egyptian, mon. Hence with the addition of more, or the contraction mor, we have the word Mormon, which means literally, more good."
Notwithstanding all this pedantic parade of learning on the part of the Prophet, uninspired scholars have expressed an opinion that the word was derived from the Greek, μορμών, a spectre or hideous shape.
