The Rocky Mountain Saints/Chapter 6
CHAPTER VI.
During the absence of the young Prophet in Missouri, the believers had not been doing as well as he expected. He was, therefore, immediately armed with a revelation reproving them for seeking "signs." In that revelation (August, 1831) occurs this singularly explicit statement:—"with whom God is angry, he is not well pleased."[1] Uninspired persons would probably consider such a declaration somewhat unnecessary; it almost requires a second revelation to explain its meaning.
Even at that early day a few of the new converts appear to have exhibited loose notions of morality. Of these, some, charged with being "adulterers and adulteresses," were stated to have "turned away," and the others were warned to "beware and repent speedily." All through the history of the Church during the life-time of Joseph may be noticed a disposition to free-loveism. The new spirit was very affectionate, and required to be strictly guarded. It is, however, due to Joseph to add that his revelations were severe in condemnation of the lack of chastity.
Some idea may be formed of the zeal with which Joseph was building up the- kingdom and preparing for the future, when it is stated that, during the year 1831, he received no less than thirty-seven revelations. In addition to the cares of the Church, preaching, testifying, and administering, he had collected the New York and Pennsylvania Saints in Ohio, had commanded them to go to Missouri, went there himself, and dedicated to "the Lord" the land "promised to believers for an everlasting inheritance," gave some portion of his time to furnishing the world with an inspired translation of the New Testament, and successfully defended himself in two lawsuits, which were instigated by "the wicked," who "sought to persecute him."
In 1832 the work extended over the States, and many converts were added to the new Church. The missionaries had no compensation, but whenever one was required, Joseph could with the greatest facility call an elder to labour in "the Lord's" vineyard. It was nothing to him at what sacrifice this might be done. It was "a day of sacrifice," and the greater that was the nobler the reward in the world to come. The labour that is hired is limited, but the labour of the Mormon elders was never over. This was the secret of their successful preaching. There was no boundary to their harvest field, they were commanded to "thrust in the sickle and reap," wherever there was a call for help or wherever the Spirit might direct. Thus influenced and undeterred by any difficulty the elders travelled everywhere. They braved every danger, faced a frowning world, rejoiced in tribulation, blessed the Saints, cursed their enemies, and sang and shouted: "The kingdom is come, glory, glory, hallelujah!"
Meanwhile Joseph was not idle. On the 16th of February, while he and Sidney were engaged in the translation of the Bible, they claim to have beheld a great vision. They saw "many things unspeakable and unlawful to be uttered," and at the same time "many great and marvellous things that they were commanded to write while they were yet in the Spirit."
About the end of March, Joseph and Sidney were very roughly treated by a mob who tarred and feathered them both. The mobbers were very cruel, and tried to force some poisonous liquid down Joseph's throat, but the phial was broken against his teeth, and the contents spilt. They then leaped on his chest and trampled him with their feet till they thought he was dead. The Mormon historian says that Joseph's spirit left his body during the outrage, but afterwards returned and re-took possession. Sidney was not served quite so badly, but he bore it worse than Joseph, and never forgot it. The Prophet had some difficulty in getting altogether free from the tar, and the stamping severely injured his chest, but "the Lord healed him up again," and next day (March 26th) it is reported that he was "acknowledged to be the President of the High Priesthood," at a General Council of the Church. A few days later he set out the second time for Missouri, and arrived at Independence on the 24th of April.
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During his two weeks' stay in Missouri, it was resolved to publish the revelations in book form, and to establish at Independence a journal called The Evening and Morning Star under the editorial direction of Elder W. W. Phelps, a brother who performed a very important part in the history of Mormonism. The career of "W. W.," as he is familiarly styled, has been somewhat chequered, but he still lives, and is "not to taste of death." He is about eighty years of age, and has the promise of living till Jesus comes again.[2] He is a singular genius, greatly gifted in interpreting disentombed inscriptions, especially upon old coins. He is usually credited with having furnished the political papers of Joseph with their "highfalutin," and distorting several languages to make the word "Mormon" mean "more good," although profane opponents insist that the word is derived from the Greek, and signifies something neither pleasant nor beautiful.[3] 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.
- ↑ "Covenants and Commandments," p. 149.
- ↑ Since the foregoing was written, the Salt Lake papers have published the following notice:
"Phelps—William Wines Phelps, born in the State of New Jersey, February, 1792, died March 7th, 1872, in Salt Lake City."
Alas, poor Phelps! Often did the old man, in public and in private, regale the Saints with the assurance that he had the promise by revelation that he should not taste of death till Jesus came. The last time that the Author spoke with "Brother" Phelps, the latter was fully satisfied that the revelation of Joseph Smith could not fail in its fulfilment. - ↑ 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.