and three ostrich feathers, like a Mahomedan pacha with three tails,
pretending to be a prophet of the Lord, a preacher of righteousness,
believed in by thousands, is one of the wonders of the age."
(Traveling Methodist minister -- Nauvoo, summer 1843)
-------------------
HUNTINGDON JOURNAL.
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Vol. VIII. Huntingdon, Pa., Wednesday, July 26, 1843. No. 28.
JOE SMITH, THE Mormon.
The following account of an interview with _Joe Smith,_ containing some curious particulars, is well worth
reading. We take it from a communication concerning Iowa and the west in the Pittsburg Christian Advocate.
_Nauvoo -- Joe Smith the Mormon --
a Controversy._
After remaining about two weeks in the territory, I took passage from Burlington in a boat laden with
lead from the rich mineral region in the northern part of the territory. The river was very high, the
wind blew a perfect gale, and the boat being laden with lead, rendered it very dangerous travelling. After
proceeding down the river about thirty miles, we landed at Nauvoo where we were compelled to remain from
early in the morning until night; this gave us an opportunity to visit Joseph Smith, and examine his
establishment. Nauvoo is situated in Illinois, on the east shore of the Mississippi, and occupies a large
bend of the river, which sweeps around from the north-east to the south-east, forming one of the most
beautiful sites for a town on the Mississippi. I have no certain information in regard to the size of
the city, but suppose from the houses scattered in every direction, that it embraces the whole bend,
and the hill country beyond for some considerable distance, an area of some six or seven miles. The
city is not very compactly built. There are, however, several blocks of buildings where the tenements
join, and a number of fine large brick houses and others built of wood and painted white.
I started in company with brother Gaston, of the Ohio Conference, from the upper landing about 8 o'clock,
A.M., to see the prophet (or rather the impostor.) We had to travel about two miles through the city
before we came to Joe's residence. We were immediately admitted into the audience room by the master of
ceremonies, and found his majesty engaged in conversation with the gentleman who had preceded us from
the boat. The reader must bear in mind that at Nauvoo, Mr. Smith is prophet, priest and king, and will
therefore pardon us if we use terms when speaking of him applicable to the character he claims. He was
dressed in military costume, black morocco boots reaching to the knee, laced up at the side and tasseled
off with silk, large gold spurs, white pantaloons, a splendid gold brooch, a military coat, with two
splendid gold epaulettes, a military cap with three large black ostrich feathers, an elegant sword, and
a large diamond ring on his finger. In conversation with strangers he is very affable, full of fun and
frolic, and jovial as [---- -- ---] except when talking on religion [---- --- ---] quite dogmatical and
[---- ---- ------ -----]
When we [---------- ---- ---] and requested the privilege of lecturing upon phrenology and mesmerism.
Joe said it was all a humbug got up to gull the people and get their money -- he had had his head felt
one hundred times, and by some of the best phrenologists in the country. The phrenologist would come
and place his hand upon the back of his head and say, "you have a large organ of amativeness," _"you
love the women."_ "And so I do," said Joe, "I acknowledge _I love the women,_ and where is the man that
don't," raising at the same time a great laugh in which we all joined heartily. I thought of Bennet's
account of amours, and I suppose the rest of the company thought of it too, especially when they saw the
number of handsome girls and women that were about his establishment. While Joe was conversing, an officer
of high rank (I suppose by his uniform,) entered the room. He came in, bowing low as he entered, his
cap in his right hand, and the despatches or papers in his left, and stood at my left hand, leaning a
little forward, his head inclined to the right, with his [eyes] fixed intently upon his majesty, who
was standing about eight feet in front. Without deigning to notice him, his majesty kept the officer
standing in that position a long time, on purpose as I supposed, to let use see the perfect subserviency
of the people. At length he gave him a nod when he stepped forward and delivered the papers.
Mr. Smith presently changed the conversation to that of a religious character. He said that there had
been no Christianity since the days of Constantine until the Latter Day Saints. The church of Rome and
the Protestant sects had become corrupt, from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot -- yes,
corrupt to the very extremity of the toe nail, (suiting the action to the word, and kicking out his
foot violently at the same time.) The Methodist Church was not only corrupt as the rest, but they
believed in blasphemous contradiction and absurdities. Their discipline reads, "God is a being without
body or parts," -- who can understand or tell any thing about such a God; it is not the God of the Bible.
And a little farther we read, "Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and Jesus Christ was crucified upon
the cross;" and here is the Methodist God without body or parts crucified upon the cross! This he said
with quite an air, and raised a laugh among the company at our expense. The company, as supposed, were
not sufficiently acquainted with theology to understand these things, and there being an apparent
absurdity in the way he had presented the subject, I thought a reply necessary, and had, in addition,
to turn the laugh on Joe if possible. I accordingly rose and said: "As Mr. Smith has called the doctrines
of the church, to which I had the honor of belonging, in question, I would be glad to reply if I could
have the privilege of replying without interruption." "You shall have the privilege, sir," he repeated
in a pompous manner, and sat down. I replied in substance as follows:
"Mr. Smith said correctly when he stated, we believed in a God without body or parts,
and such is the God of the Bible. He is represented as being a Spirit, a pure spiritual
essence, John 4:34, "High as the Heaven and deeper than hell," Job 11, 8. 'Behold the
heaven of heavens cannot contain thee." 1 Kings 8, 27. "Whither shall I go from thy
Spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven thou art
there; if I make my bed in hell behold thou art there." Psalms 139:7, 10. "To whom then
will ye liken God, or what likeness will ye compare unto him." Isa. 49, 10. "Do I not
fill heaven and earth saith the Lord." Jer. 23:23. "He filleth all in all." Eph. 1:23.
Such gentlemen, is the account the Bible gives us of God. But Mr. Smith would have you
believe that God has a body and parts; and if a body he must be located. He would have
you believe he is a great man, and the Bible says he is as high as the Heavens, and
deeper than hell! A great man, reaching from heaven to hell; a tall man that, I think
gentlemen (and then the company raised the laugh upon Joe.) Again the Bible says he fills
heaven and earth. If that be the case he is a great body, he must necessarily crowd off
the earth every body else, and there is no room for Mr. Smith and me. And then the
company raised the laugh on poor Joe again, which appeared to irritate him considerably.
I further stated that the Bible taught us, that Jesus Christ possessed two distinct natures, the
God-head and the manhood, and quoted Hebrews 2:14, 18. "Forasmuch as the children are partakers of
flesh and blood, he also himself likewise, took part of the same" -- "for verily he took not on him the
nature of angels, but he took on the seed of Abraham," &c. Here some being or character is represented
as taking on himself something else; and what is that? The Deity takes the humanity; the God-head
associates with itself human nature; not sinful nature as some tell us, but human nature. And that
human nature was subject to suffering; he was hungry, thirsty, was weary, slept, was subject to pain,
his soul was "exceeding sorrowful, even unto death," &c. Now we believe that it was the human body
that was crucified; not the divinity; it was that which he took upon himself that was crucified,
not the Divine nature which took the human, as is plainly shown in Hebrews 2:14. "Forasmuch then
as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, _he also himself likewise took part of the same, that
through death_ he might destroy him that had the power of death." The company can clearly see from this
explanation of the subject that Mr. Smith has done us injustice, that the doctrine we believe is
according to the Scriptures, and neither contradictory nor absurd."
He arose when I had finished, and replied with great warmth. He said I had misconstrued the Scriptures,
that the Bible said God had eyes, hands, feet, &c., and what are we to understand[? -- that] he has no
hands and feet? He [then said] more to the same purport [that I] do not think worth while to
trouble [my readers] with. As soon as he [finished, he left] the room, to all appearances considerably
vexed. The next I saw of his majesty he was in the yard in front of his house. Looking up the street I
saw a company of cavalry in full uniform, coming down, preceded by a fine brass band, tuning their
instruments to notes of sweetest melody. An officer of high rank led up a splendid black horse, elegantly
equipped; holster, pistols, &c., &c.; the horse appeared to be rather mettlesome at first, the officer
at length succeeded in bringing him up to the block, and placing his master's feet in the stirrups, his
majesty rode out into the street. Some of the company then led up the horses for Joe's women, four in
number and assisted them to mount; his women paraded on his left.
The general then next in command mounted, and his women, three in number, mounted their steeds. Then
another officer and his three women. They all marched up and formed in the rear of his majesty and his
harem; the gentlemen on the right, and the females on the left. In the meantime the cavalry arrived,
bearing three stand of colors, and paraded in file on the side of the street. His majesty and suite
then marched forward past the troops, who saluted him in handsome style with swords, colors and music.
As soon as he was past the cavalry, they wheeled by platoons and formed in his rear. -- They all then
marched out to the parade about three miles distant to review the troops. This was the last I saw of Joe.
Some of the company went out to the parade and reported that as near as they could judge there were
about 5000 men under arms.
No doubt many of the readers of the Advocate will marvel at this account. I marvel at it myself. I am
perfectly astonished that men and women can be found in this enlightened land that believe all this
pageantry, all this show of military glory, is in any way connected with the religion of the meek and
lowly Jesus! How unlike the religion of Him who declared his "kingdom is not of this world." How unlike
the proceedings of those holy men who said "the weapons of our warfare are not carnal." To see Joseph
Smith, with his sword and pistols, with his military hat and three ostrich feathers, like a Mahomedan
pacha with three tails, pretending to be a prophet of the Lord, a preacher of righteousness, believed in
by thousands, is one of the wonders of the age. But why should we wonder at this, when we see a large
portion of Europe, bowing down before crucifixes, counting beads, adorning saints, angels and images.
Alas! poor human nature.
In my next, I intend to give an account of Smith's pretended Egyptian mummies and ancient records written
on blank paper, which I was permitted to see by paying 20 cents, and to hear interpreted by Smith's
mother the prophecies. The Nauvoo temple is unlike any thing else on earth.
Another contemporary visitor added:
"from what I heard, that Smith makes it a point not to agree with any one in regard
to his religious opinions..."
http://sidneyrigdon.com/dbroadhu/NY/miscNYSk.htm#081142
enjoy,
Uncle Dale