A discourse in the Salt Lake Mormon Tabernacle, January 16, 1910. (Reported by F. W. Otterstrom.)

I.

"Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?

"Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries, either a vine, figs? So can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh."

Such is the language of James, whose epistle appears in the New Testament Scripture; and the passage condensed simply means, of course, that an impure fountain sends forth not pure streams, neither does a good fountain send forth impure streams; such as the fountain is, such also is the stream.

I have been somewhat surprised, if not amazed of late at the bitterness that has been manifested in the discussion in our local prints, of some doctrines and some of the history of this great movement known as Mormonism. There has been lately a raking up of old past controversies, until one would think that we would be under the necessity of fighting again the old battles of 60 and 70 years ago; for this raking up of old controversies extends that far back with reference to this great latter-day movement. I have it in mind to make a little contribution to this discussion, from the standpoint of this text. Of course, it is said that the tree must be judged by its fruit; and that must be admitted to be a righteous judgment, because in all moral machinery, the effectiveness of it must finally be judged by moral results, and we could not, if we would, escape the judgment of the world, which will be pronounced upon the results of our religious and ethical system. But, while that is a most excellent method of estimating the value of any religious or philosophical or ethical system, it does not exclude the justice and righteousness of judging it from this standpoint of James, namely: Is the fountain, whence it springs, pure? If so, it were an anomaly, indeed, if the streams flowing out of it were not like the fountain—pure. So, for a little while, I am going to invite your attention to the spirit in which this thing the world calls Mormonism had its inception. This gives us the opportunity of briefly reviewing some things that are very commonplace with you, but important, nevertheless; and we may begin with that very wonderful incident of the Prophet Joseph Smith's boyhood when but fourteen years of age. He went as you know to the Lord in prayer, in response to the Scripture which said: "If any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not." He became familiar with that Scripture, for it constituted, at least on one occasion, a text to a discourse to which he listened, and it became the voice of God to his soul. At last he put this Scripture to the test and inquired of God, with the result familiar to you all that he received a splendid vision of God the Father and of the Son, and received knowledge of the purpose of the Father to give a new dispensation of the gospel to the world through him, provided he should be faithful. Three years passed, and when reviewing the experiences of those three years, and calling to mind, as any lad could, the follies of youth, the light-mindedness and the foolishness of boyhood, a sorrow took hold of him as he made this review; and he wondered to what extent he had given offense to God. He besought the Lord in prayer again, in order to know his standing, with the result that a holy messenger from the presence of God visited him and made known his acceptance to the Lord, notwithstanding his boyhood follies, and assured him that he was still the chosen instrument in the hands of God for the accomplishment of his purposes, and revealed to him the existence of a whole volume of Scripture, being the word of the Lord as delivered unto the prophets living upon these western American continents in ancient times. Of course, I am not relating these familiar incidents in the history of the Prophet, with a view of imparting information as to these facts to you, but I simply want to call your attention to the course pursued by the Prophet, to ask you if this course is not altogether commendable in him; and so far as we have pursued the course followed, is it not altogether praiseworthy—this seeking the Lord and finding him? This guidance by the spirit of prayer? This was the spirit in which Mormonism, so-called, had its inception, so far as the Prophet was concerned; and now I want to follow its development a little further.

By and by, others began to participate in the development of this work. Among those who sought to be useful in bringing it into existence was the Prophet's own father. He desired that his son inquire of the Lord to learn what course he should take, and what was to be his lot and part in this work. The Prophet inquired of the Lord and received the following message, contained in your Doctrine and Covenants:

"Behold, a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men;

"Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day;

"Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God, ye are called to the work.

"For behold the field is white already to harvest, and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perish not, but bringeth salvation to his soul;

"And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work.

"Remember faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence.

"Ask and ye shall receive, knock and it shall be opened unto you."

What virtue exists outside of those here enumerated and enjoined? What say you of this fountain—good, or corrupt?

By and by, but a few months after this, in fact, Oliver Cowdery came to the Prophet, he who was to be the Second Elder in the Church of Christ about to be established—a young man, a schoolteacher, a blacksmith, formerly a store-keeper—a variety of occupations of course impossible outside of frontier life in America, in the early decades of the nineteenth century. He had heard of God's dealings with this prophet who was being qualified for his great mission; and so came to him. He, too, like the Prophet's father, was willing to throw his lot in with the Prophet and the work that was developing. He, too, would know the will of the Lord concerning him, in his relationship to this work; and, now, what said the Lord to him? It is told in section six of your Doctrine and Covenants. It was given April, 1829, a year before the Church was organized; to Oliver the Lord said:

"A great and marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men."

Observe how that prediction is constantly repeated in these revelations. One need only call your attention to the great latter-day work and its wonderful history, to prove the prophetic character of this repeated utterance in these early revelations. Continuing:

"Behold, I am God, and give heed unto my word, which is quick and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword, to the dividing asunder of both joints and marrow; therefore give heed unto my words.

"Behold the field is white already to harvest, therefore whoso desireth to reap, let him thrust in his sickle with his might, and reap while the day lasts, that he may treasure up for his soul everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God:

"Yea, whosoever will thrust in his sickle and reap, the same is called of God;

"Therefore, if you will ask of me you shall receive; if you will knock it shall be opened unto you.

"Now, as you have asked, behold, I say unto you, keep my commandments, and seek to bring forth and establish the cause of Zion."

"Seek not for riches, but for wisdom, and behold, the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you, and then shall you be made rich. Behold, he that hath eternal life is rich.

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, even as you desire of me, so it shall be unto you; and if you desire, you shall be the means of doing much good in this generation.

"Say nothing but repentance unto this generation: keep my commandments, and assist to bring forth my work, according to my commandments and you shall be blessed.

"Therefore be diligent, stand by my servant Joseph, faithfully, in whatsoever difficult circumstances he may be [in] for the word's sake."

Let us pause here and a little contemplate the striking sentences of this revelation: "Seek not for riches"—Why, we were told here but a few days ago, in our local prints, as about a year ago in one of the great magazines of our country, we were told that "lust of gold, not love of God," was the motive power of Mormonism.

"Admonish him [the Prophet] in his faults."—What! a prophet with faults? O yes; and to be admonished by his brethren? Yes. What humility is here required of the prophet; what frankness, what godlike quality!—"Admonish him in his faults, and also receive admonition of him. Be patient; be sober; be temperate; have patience, faith, hope and charity."

We are told, and it is charged in the old anti-Mormon books of fifty, sixty and seventy years ago, that these men were liars, intemperate, idlers, money diggers; that they were utterly untrustworthy; and, yet, get behind the scenes where the word of God comes to them, and, lo! the purity of the fountain whence Mormonism comes! And this was no playing to the galleries of the world, either. These revelations were not published to the world at that time, indeed there was no idea that they would ever be published. As the secret thoughts of a man is to his actions, so were these revelations to the Church.

II.
PEOPLE JUDGED BY THEIR LAWS.

With historians it is common to regard the laws that are enacted as being among the truest means of insight to conditions prevailing among a people; because the things that the laws forbid, or the things that the law commands are truly a revelation of the inclinations of the people. And so, too, the legislation of a people will reveal their aspirations, their strivings after justice and righteousness; and likewise the revelations which God gave through Joseph Smith, out of which the Church of Latter-day Saints has been developed, reveal the spirit of this great Latter-day Work, the aims and aspirations of the Church.

Again, the Prophet's brother, Hyrum, his lifelong companion, and fellow martyr at the last, in the spring of 1829 came from Manchester down to Harmony, upwards of a hundred miles, to inquire of the Lord. His brother Samuel had recently been in touch with Joseph and Oliver, and had received the testimony of the Lord that the work these young men were engaged in was true; and he had received baptism at their hands. It was he who carried the word up to the Prophet's father's home, that the brethren had received the ministration of John the Baptist, and had received divine authority to teach the gospel of repentance—the preparatory gospel—and to baptize for the remission of sins. And this occasioned Hyrum to immediately repair to Harmony to find out if there was a word from the Lord for him; and this word came:

"A great and marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men."

"Behold, I am God, and give heed to my word, which is quick and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword, to the dividing asunder of both joints and marrow; therefore give heed unto my word.

"Behold, the field is white already to harvest, therefore: whoso desireth to reap, let him thrust in his sickle with his might, and reap while the day lasts, that he may treasure up for his soul everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God.

"Yea, whosoever will thrust in his sickle and reap, the same is called of God;

"Therefore, if you will ask of me, you shall receive, if you will knock, it shall be opened unto you.

"Now, as you have asked, behold, I say unto you, keep my commandments, and seek to bring forth and establish the cause of Zion.

"Seek not for riches but for wisdom, and, behold, the mysteries of God, shall be unfolded unto you, and then you shall be made rich, behold, he that hath eternal life is rich."

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, even as you desire of me, so it shall be done unto you: and if you desire you shall be the means of doing much good in this generation.

"Say nothing but repentance unto this generation. Keep my commandments, and assist to bring forth my work, according to my commandments, and you shall be blessed."

The spirit of this is splendid, it is good, not evil. Contemplate these words to Hyrum Smith and you get better than any where else, perhaps, the spirit of Mormonism—"Verily, verily, I say unto you, even as you desire of me, so it shall be done unto you: and, if you desire, you shall be the means"—of doing what? Revelling in luxury, living without the labor of his hands—be deprived of the blessing of earning his bread in the sweat of his brow—and participate in the pride and glory and honor and applause of the world? No; not so; but: "you shall be the means of doing much good in this generation."

THE CALLING OF SIDNEY RIGDON.

The same holds good as to other characters who came dropping into the work. When Sidney Rigdon came with Edward Partridge—the latter the Prophet described as a pattern of piety and one of the Lord's great men, and of whom the Lord spoke afterwards as being like unto Nathaniel of old, because there was no guile in his heart. When Sidney Rigdon, in December, 1830, came to the Prophet to inquire of him, the Lord commended him for his past work in the Disciple's ministry, where he had been teaching repentance and faith and baptism in water for the remission of sins; and, now, the burden of the Lord's word in this man, Sidney Rigdon, was simply that hereafter his mission should be enlarged, and he should not only baptize with water but he should baptize now, also, with water and with fire and with the Holy Ghost. No promise of wealth and position; no worldly exaltation was promised to him, but warnings of toil and labor in the ministry and the opposition of the world. And, by the way, there is something a little interesting in this incident of Sidney Rigdon coming into the work. It is generally held forth, in the anti-Mormon publications, that Joseph Smith neither in his general information, nor in trained faculties, was equal to the task of bringing forth the Book of Mormon. They assumed that some more skilful man, some man better versed in the Scriptures and in history, and having more literary ability withal, was somewhere behind the scenes manipulating affairs to bring forth the Book of Mormon and the Mormon Church. But Sidney Rigdon did not come to the Prophet until December, 1830. When he came—in addition to what I have reported of what was promised to him—he was appointed to be scribe to the Prophet; and afterwards in all their labors and associations he held a subordinate position to the Prophet. At this time Sidney Rigdon was a man thirty-seven years of age; the Prophet but about twenty-five. We might ask our anti-Mormon friends how it came about that if Sidney Rigdon was the master spirit in bringing forth the Book of Mormon and the Mormon Church—"the real Mephistopheles of the blasphemous drama that was being enacted"—how comes it that after playing this part for a number of years, in secret when he comes out into the public light, with all his advantage of age, of education and experience and power as a public speaker, he consents to take second place in the great drama to be enacted—no, not even second place for that had been conferred upon Oliver Cowdery who had been ordained and sustained by the Church as the Second Elder of the Church, while Sidney Rigdon at his advent must be content with being the Prophet's scribe! Is there any consistency in claims of this anti-Mormon sort?

I come now to another matter. You have seen how our Prophet began his work—in prayerfully seeking unto the Lord for his own guidance, and ever, as men who became leaders in the movement, one after another, come dropping into the work, from his father and brother, and Oliver Cowdery to Sidney Rigdon, Edward Partridge, and afterwards the same as to Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball and all the rest—ever as they came into the work, it was always the same thing; he inquired of the Lord for these men, and received answers; he was prayerful throughout—this Prophet. In 1833 the Prophet himself went on a mission to Canada to visit some branches of the Church that had been raised up by the labors of Parley P. Pratt; and among the treasures of our Historian's office is the daily journal of the Prophet while on that mission—a little book—not so large, in thickness, at least, but a little larger in length and breadth than this small hymn book that I now hold in my hand; a journal kept in his own hand writing, that recorded the events of each day, the thoughts that were in his heart, and his method of procedure. I want to read a few entries from that journal to you; because our Church history, that is, as originally published in the Times and Seasons, and as published in The Millennial Star, does not contain all the entries of the Prophet in that journal; but in the recently published history of the Church, in the first volume of the six now published, these entries are to be found in the Footnotes. I want to have you follow the Prophet for a few days in his ministry, that you may know the spirit of this man.

A FEW DAYS WITH THE PROPHET.

"Oct. 5—I started on a journey to the east, and to Canada in company with Elders Rigdon and Freeman Nickerson. We arrived in Springfield whilst the brethren were in meeting, and Elder Rigdon spoke to the congregation. A large and attentive congregation assembled at Brother Rudd's in the evening, to whom we bore our testimony. Had a great congregation—paid good attention. O God, seal our testimony to their hearts." That is from page 6 of the manuscript book I speak of.

"Oct. 11—We left Westfield, and continuing our journey, stayed that night with a man named Nash, an infidel, with whom we reasoned, but to no purpose. I feel very well in my mind. The Lord is with us, but have much anxiety about my family." (Page 7.)

"Thursday, 24th—At the house of Mr. Beman, in Colburn, whence we left for Waterford, where we spoke to a small congregation; thence to Mount Pleasant, and preached to a large congregation the same evening, when Freeman A. Nickerson and his wife declared their belief in the work, and offered themselves for baptism. Great excitement prevailed in every place we visited. The result is in the hands of God."

"Friday, 25th—This afternoon, at a Mr. Patrick's; expect to hold a meeting this evening. People very superstitious. O God, establish thy word among this people. Held a meeting this evening; had an attentive congregation; the Spirit gave utterance."

"28th—In the evening we broke bread and laid on hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, and for confirmation, having baptized two more. The Spirit was given in great power to some, and peace to others. May God carry on his work in this place till all shall know him. Amen." (Page 16.)

"Tuesday, 29th—After preaching at 10 o'clock a. m. I baptized two, and confirmed them at the water's side. Last evening we ordained F. A. Nickerson an elder; and one of the sisters received the girt of tongues, which made the saints rejoice exceedingly. May God increase the gifts among them for his Son's sake."

On the 29th the Prophet's party started for home. "May the Lord prosper our journey. Amen." (Page 17.)

"Friday, Nov. 1—I left Buffalo. New York, at 8 o'clock a. m. and arrived at my house in Kirtland on Monday, the 4th, 10 a. m., and found my family well, according to the promise of the Lord in the revelation of October 12, for which I felt to thank my heavenly Father."

Now, my friends, this is but a few days with the Prophet. You may follow him throughout his career—in freedom and in bonds, in the midst of his joys and in the darkness of his sorrows; you shall find this same prayerful attitude towards God—always thanksgiving for blessings, cries for help in his hour of need, and always prayers for divine guidance when unfolding the great organization of the Church of Christ. Tell me—is the spirit in which this man labored, evil or good? Is this the course of a libertine and a liar? Or, is it the course of a righteous man? To me there draw tremendous consequences in connection with this course of our Prophet; and the importance of these consequences will appeal to you, I think, when I call your attention to them. When you see this man so constantly seeking communion with God, seeking for guidance and help—if God came not to his help, and did not guide him, then what hope may men entertain that God will hear prayer at all? Or give divine guidance to those who seek it? If I could be persuaded that God did not hear and answer the prayers of this man—beginning in his innocent boyhood, and continuing to his martyr, cry "O Lord, my God!"—if God, I say, did not hear him, and did not walk beside him and guide his footsteps, I would say to all the world: Your prayers are but mockeries; your heaven above you is brass; the earth under your feet is iron. Cease from prayer; become self reliant, and do the best you can by your own inherent strength; develop such human wisdom as you may, and walk in its light, for it is all there is—your cries for help and guidance cannot penetrate the heavens, and there is no God to hear or help you!

But, of course, believing, as I do, that God responded to the heart-cries of the Prophet, to his prayers, I say to all men—Behold the result of Joseph Smith's praying in the achievements of his life's work! In this circumstance we may find encouragement to believe that God will both hear and answer prayers, and help all to know the truth and walk in its light, who seek for it.

But notwithstanding the fact that this great latter-day work called Mormonism had its inception in this prayerful spirit—this manifest hungering and thirsting after righteousness; notwithstanding all who sought to be helpful in it, and to be identified with its development were sternly bidden to keep the commandments of God; that faith, hope, charity, temperance, chastity and patience were required qualities; that they must seek for wisdom, not for riches—"the laborers in Zion shall labor for Zion; for if they labor for money they shall perish" (II Nephi 26:51); notwithstanding the stream called Mormonism arises from so noble and pure a fountain, how greatly has it been defamed either through misconception of it, or through malice, and the motives of its founders misrepresented!

Only a short time ago, no later in fact than last Thanksgiving day, a minister in preaching what I think, in the main, must have been a very excellent discourse, took occasion to glance in our direction, and say what I think was one of the unkindest things that could be said of the Latter-day Saints. I will read to you what the press reported the gentleman as saying. You know the local press of our city, now and then, becomes wonderfully agitated about our paying tithes and offerings to the Church; and, really, if you read those reports and did not know better you would think the Latter-day Saints were a community that were impoverishing themselves by carrying on the work of the Lord. This minister referred to that, and what he says on that particular point is rather refreshing, and I commend it to the attention of the local paper in question:

"One of our local papers has assigned, as one of the reasons of the so-called poverty and handicap of the Mormon people, the collection of tithes. We think the paper in error in this, for we ourselves are in favor of the tithes and have practiced it for the past twenty years. The children of Israel were never so prosperous as when they brought the tithes and offerings to the treasury of the Lord;"—and everybody that is acquainted with the history of Israel knows that to be true. "The true cause of this so-called poverty and handicap, of course, is not in reference to the tithes, but the low ideals in the homes and the lack of respect for woman. As the earthly, home is lifted it becomes nearest like the home beyond the skies, the final home of the soul."

III.
WOMAN'S PLACE IN MORMONISM.

I say that the charge made as to "low ideals in the homes, and the lack of respect for woman," is the unkindest thing that could be said of the Latter-day Saints, or, really, of any people. It would be the saddest commentary that could be made on any system if it were true; but I resent it as a charge against my people, and say that it is untrue; and on the contrary affirm that the gospel of Jesus Christ, the new dispensation of it committed to this world through the ministry of the Prophet Joseph Smith, teaches the highest respect for woman that may be described by human speech or wrought into practice. There is no people in the world that so religiously and absolutely believe that doctrine of Paul's that in God's economy of things "the man is not without the woman, neither the woman without the man in the Lord." Some, through misrepresentation, have charged that we believe this doctrine so absolutely as to hold that there is no salvation for man or woman outside of the marriage relation. Of course, that is an extreme to which we do not go. We believe—at least, permit me to say that I believe, and I think I have warrant for such belief in the principles of our faith, that it is possible for either man or woman to be saved without marriage at all. It is possible for a man to be saved with one wife, and, if you will just be patient enough to let me say it, if we may here regard the teachings of the Hebrew Scriptures, which speak of Abraham as having a place in the kingdom of God—nay, his very bosom is the goal to which all Christian eyes turn, where they hope to find peace and heavenly rest—and if we believe this of Abraham, we may be justified in believing it possible for a man to be saved though he should happen to have more than one wife. But instructed by our faith, we so honor woman that we hold that man cannot attain to the heights of exaltation and glory possible to the intelligences we call men only as he shall be holily joined with woman in divinely appointed wedlock, for in that state, and that state only, is the power of eternal lives, and increasing glory, and dominion, and exaltation. No man may attain unto these high things only as he is united with woman in holy marriage.

I accept all that the reverend gentleman says of the beauty and blessedness of the home. It is indeed, from the Mormon viewpoint, the principal factor of civilization; the spring and source of national life and greatness and stability. And, as our reverend friend remarks, "as the earthly home is lifted it becomes nearest like the home beyond the skies, the final home of the soul." A very pretty sentiment, truly, and Mormons believe in it so absolutely that they look forward to the actual existence of the family "beyond the skies," or at least in heaven—through all eternity—that they even now make their marriage vows and covenants with reference to that status—the eternal perpetuation of the family. They are not content to have the marriage ceremony end with that doleful note from the tombs—"until death does you part!" but rejoice rather in the blessed words of their God-given ceremony—the inspiring words of life and joy and hope—"I pronounce you man and wife through time and all eternity!" To those who express the fear that all this is too concrete, to matter-of-fact, too sensual, we answer that such has been the refining influence of woman upon man, developing the purest and best part of his nature; such has been the influence of the home upon civilization in this world, that we cannot believe but what the joys of heaven will be heightened and rendered purer by it, and even conception of its community life must be made grander by thinking of it as made up of indestructible families. Hence our hopes and holiest aspirations are associated with the family—in which woman is necessarily a chief and honored factor in this world and in that which is to come. And not only is this our hope for the future, but we believe it is a condition prevailing in all past eternities, as note one of our hymns:

"In the heavens are parents single?
No, the thought makes reason stare;
Truth is reason, truth eternal
Tells me I've a mother there.

"When I leave this frail existence,
When I lay this mortal by,
Father, Mother, may I meet you
In your royal courts on high?

"Then at length when I've completed
All you sent me forth to do,
With your mutual approbation,
Let me come and dwell with you?"

I challenge the Christian world to equal—to say nothing of surpassing—this conception of the nobility of woman and of motherhood and of wifehood—placing her side by side with the Divine Father—consort and Mother of divine intelligences—the spirits of men. Some object to that conception, and undertake to detract from its beauty and glory by saying that it presents to the thought a pluralistic Deity, consisting of divine Father and divine Mother. That, however, is a consequence they attach to our faith, not a principle that we accept; because the Godhead, for us, as all those who are acquainted with our doctrines know, consists of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, the grand creating and presiding, divine Council that upholds and sustains and guides the destiny of our earth and its associated spheres. These gentlemen who are so fearful of a pluralistic deity and universe being thought of, would do well to stand out a little upon the frontier of the highest Christian thought of our age, and they will discover that many of our first and greatest philosophers are beginning to teach the doctrine that so far as the infinite or the absolute exists, it exists in a plurality of divine intelligences; and that the oneness of God is but the free harmony of divine intelligences. And, then, for matter of that, so long as the Christian world teaches that in the Godhead are three personalities—the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit—they will try in vain to get away from the conception of a pluralistic deity.

And now, I am about to violate what some regard as the canons of good taste in public speaking, by making reference to a matter quite personal. But what I am about to present meets this charge of "low ideals in the home—and the lack of respect for woman"—I say the thing I have in mind so completely meets this issue that I am even going to venture upon something some what personal.

It has been my custom, now, for quite a number of years, on the anniversary of my mother's birth, and on the anniversary of my own birth, to either visit her in person and chat with her, or else, if away from her home, to write her a communication. Four years ago, not being able to reach her, on the anniversary of my own birth, I sent her the following communication, written in honor of women—in honor of her—my mother. I now read it to you. I gave it a title, calling it

GOD'S HERALD OF THE RESURRECTION AND HUMAN BROTHERHOOD—WOMAN.

"Next to her holy office of wifehood and motherhood, the most exalted honor Deity ever conferred on woman was that of making her his first messenger of the resurrection; and, in its most emphatic form at least, the messenger also of the beautiful doctrine of the Fatherhood of God, and the brotherhood of man. The manner of conferring this high and sacred commission upon woman was as follows—the account is John's:

"The Christ had been crucified and laid in the new sepulcher provided by Joseph of Arimathea. Then early in the morning of the third day after the crucifixion, came Mary of Magdala to the sepulcher and found it empty; whereupon she ran and, informed Peter and John that the body of Jesus had been taken away. There was a hasty and excited visit to the sepulcher, and, on the part of Peter and John, a hasty departure. But Mary lingered near the vacant tomb. This was where she had last seen him whom she loved—here she must begin her search for him—and she will search for him, for it is woman's nature to hope—O glorious inconsistency!—against hope itself. And she was rewarded for her love that made her linger, though it was by an empty sepulcher; for soon angels said to her, 'Why weepest thou?' and Mary said, 'Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.' And then one greater than the angels stood by her, and said, 'Why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou?' Then she:

"'Sir, if thou have born him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.'

"'Mary!'

"'Rabboni,' with arms extended—

"'Touch me not,' gently, lovingly, not harshly said—'Touch me not; for I have not yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascended unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and to your God.'

"Commissioned so, Mary told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, 'and that he had spoken these things unto her.'

"And thus to a woman was it first given to carry the glad message fashioned first by angel's tongues—'He is risen!' As also the message that the Christ's Father is man's Father; that the Christ's God is man's God; and that in consequence of this, all men are brethren.'

"Many eulogies have been written in thy praise, O woman! Much honor accorded thee in God's economy of the world. But here thy glory—under the limits of our opening sentence—attained its flood tide. Never wast thou so honored before; never, so far as human ken may see, wilt thou be more honored. Indeed, how couldst thou be? What concerns the world more to know than what is comprised in thy message—Christ is risen; his Father is man's Father; his God, man's God—all men are brethren! This the sum of the law and the gospel—all else commentary. And thou, O woman! the messenger of these glad tidings! How honored wast thou! Even the glory of being 'last at the cross, and earliest at the tomb,' is eclipsed by the honor of being herald of this. Cherish thou this honor. Claim it in all its Christ-given splendor; for it is fitting that thou unto whom it is first given to know human earth-life perennial, should be made herald of life immortal, and declare also its great source, and its relations. And thus wast thou honored of Deity, O Mother of human life—herald of life immortal! and of common fatherhood and brotherhood for human race. I am taught by these high things to honor thee, and here uncovered and holily I reverence pay thee."

That was sent, on the 13th of March, 1906, to my mother. It was not written with any intent, the remotest, for publication; and while it may lack very much of excellence and come far short in worthiness of the high theme with which it deals; yet whatever its defects may be, it is not lacking in appreciation and honor of woman. It is the result of much thought and reflection, of one born and reared in the Mormon system; such sentiment of respect and honor as it breathes for woman in her high offices is taught to me by my Mormon faith, letter and spirit. If anyone shall say in controversion of this that my brief treatise deals with New Testament facts, such an objector must be reminded that my Mormon faith teaches me the acceptance of both Old and New Testaments as "the word of God," a fact too frequently overlooked by our critics; and from them, as other books containing revelations from God, I learn my Mormonism.

A few days ago, she to whom the above words were written, breathed out her life in my arms; and yesterday we stood by the open grave while friends and kindred laid this honored woman to rest. I am still in the atmosphere of these things; and from the midst of these holy associations, I denounce as false—I hope it was not maliciously made—the charge that the Mormon faith gives out "low ideals in the home and lacks in its respect and honor for woman." The charge is not true.

UNJUST CRITICISM ANSWERED.

A word, in conclusion, on the proper limits of religious controversy. In 1824 Robert Southey, Esquire, poet laureate of England at the time, wrote a book under the title "The Book of the Church." It was a defense of the Protestant position with reference to the holy Scriptures, and a comparison of the respective attitudes of Catholics and Protestants in relation to them. The book was replied to by Charles Butler, Esquire, a Roman Catholic; and in the preface of his book, which he dedicated to Charles Blundell, Esq., he says:

"I willingly admit that to produce against our creed or conduct all that research and fair argument can supply, is legitimate controversy; but surely to conceal our merits or to represent them very briefly and imperfectly, and to display our defects at length and with the highest coloring; to impute to our general body what in justice is only chargeable on individuals; or to estimate the writings or actions of our ancestors in the dark ages by the notions and manners of the present age, is a crying injustice."

That states a true principle, and registers a just complaint. It voices a protest that precisely fits our case. In the controversy waged against us our merits, both as to doctrine and as to practice, are either concealed or represented very briefly and imperfectly, while our defects are displayed at length and with the highest coloring; to the general body of the Church is imputed what, in justice, is only chargeable on individuals; and I may add to this enumeration that we are judged as to our settled convictions and established sentiments respecting our relation to our fellow citizens, not of our religious faith, and our attitude as citizens of the great republic, our country, by the ill-advised and sometimes harsh expressions of some leading men when in a state of irritation and disturbance; thus contravening the principle long since laid down by Edmund Burke and quite generally accepted that—

"It is not fair to judge of the temper or the disposition of any man or set of men when they are composed and at rest from their conduct and expressions in a state of disturbance and of irritation."

BY THEIR WORKS THEY SHALL BE JUDGED.

Now, of course, as I stated in the commencement of my remarks, the moral machinery of any system will be judged by the moral results of it. We recognize the fact that a beautiful and perfect life is unanswerable in support of a system that produces it; and yet while exalting this species of evidence in vindication of a system, human nature ought to be taken into account, for a perfect and beautiful life in any system is rather a rarity, even among the early Christians who were called saints it was so. They were not called saints because, good souls, they were such; that is, in the sense of being perfect; but they were called saints because they aspired to be such; because of their struggles after righteousness. A close inquiry into their lives, however, will demonstrate the fact that they were made of much the same stuff that enters into our composition—that they were men of like passions and weaknesses with ourselves, and fell far below the great ideals set up by the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I am not putting this forth as a plea of justification for any failures on our part. I am willing that this tree of Mormonism should be judged by its fruits absolutely, and let it stand or fall by that test. But, what I do object to is the course so often pursued by our critics. That course is as if one should go into an orchard of twenty or fifty acres of fruit-bearing trees, and should seek out and find here and there—as one may, even in the best of orchards—the wind-beaten, blasted, mildewed, dwarfed, or shrunken fruit, and carefully raking this together, represent that as the fruit of the orchard! Whereas the facts are that there are scores of tons of beautiful, ripe and perfect fruit that is a credit to the orchard and to the husbandman of it. Yet all that is passed by, and you are asked to judge the orchard by the blasted specimens that have been raked together.

So in this work called Mormonism. Let our critics take into account the rich harvest of righteous souls that this system has produced; and the present upright and honorable men and women of our system, and judge not the people by those who have failed to reach the high ideals that Mormonism holds up as the goal of moral and spiritual achievement, and who fail because they depart from our principles and the practices they enjoin.

My brethren and sisters, I believe the gospel of Jesus Christ. So far as it is possible for the soul of man to be conscious of the truth, I am conscious of the truth of this great latter-day system. I love it with all my heart. There is no heart-throb of mine, no matter how far short I may come in meeting the high requirements of the gospel—there is no heart throb of mine that does not pulsate with love for this work. I believe it true—nay, I know it to be of God. The fountain whence it springs is pure. The water flowing from that fountain, the streams, are also pure, in the name of God, Amen.