* *

While we have always regretted the loss of the precious manuscript, at the same time we have been able to see in that calamity evidence of the Divine origin of the Book of Mormon. Here is the evidence: It is well known that the opponents of "Mormonism" have never believed that anything like the forgoing ever took place. They have looked upon this story as another of Joseph Smith's "fairy-tales." A Liverpool clergyman, commenting on it a short time ago, sarcastically said: "Mrs. Harris, who evidently was far more practical than her husband, was so incensed at his duplicity, that, as Smith himself tells us, she stole part of the manuscript, the part containing the revelation of Mormon, and burnt it. * So an angry woman deprives the world of 'the revelation of God""!!! If Joseph Smith's statement concerning the stolen manuscript be false, why, we ask, did Mrs. Harris stand silently by and hear herself denounced as a vain and treacherous woman, nay, worse, as a thief, and not say one word in refutation of the accusation? Why did she hear her husband branded as a wicked and selfconfident man, a covenant-breaker, and not utter one word in his defense? Why did Martin Harris suffer all these accusations to be hurled against himself and his wife and never once say they were untrue? What does all this silence prove? It proves that Joseph Smith spoke the truth. Joseph Smith would never have turned against Martin Harris, his best friend, a man who was giving him his services gratuitously, and also rendering him financial assistance, if the latter had not betrayed the trust reposed in him with regard to the one hundred and sixteen pages of manuscript.

As we have already said, the theory of the opponents of "Mormonism" is that Solomon Spaulding was the author of the Book of Mormon. Volumes have been written to this effect. That being the case, then why charge all the errors in grammar and other imperfections in the book to Joseph Smith? If Solomon Spaulding be the author, then he and not Joseph Smith is responsible for the imperfections in the Book of Mormon. If no credit be given to Joseph Smith, then no blame can be attached to him. Our opponents must see that this forever closes their mouths.

In the short remaining space at our disposal let us examine a few of the grammatical errors found in the Book of Mormon. Here is a sample: "A more history part are written upon mine other plates" (II. Nephi 4: 14). "And it came to pass that I did make tools of the ore which I did molten out of the rock" (I. Nephi 17:16). There are similar grammatical errors, but these will suffice. Now, we ask, is this at all like the composition of an educated clergyman, a graduate of Dartmouth College? Are we to believe that if Solomon Spaulding were on earth to-day he would permit these grammatical errors to be charged against him?

Just a word with regard to some Book of Mormon doctrine. Solomon Spaulding, it will be remembered, was a Presbyterian

clergyman. Now, it is a well-known fact that all ministers of the Presbyterian Church advocate the sprinkling of infants. Yet this doctrine is strongly condemned in the Book of Mormon (Moroni 8: 14). It is also a well-known fact that ministers of the Presbyterian Church do not advocate immersion as the only proper mode of baptism. Yet this is the only form of baptism sanctioned by the Book of Mormon (III. Nephi 11: 23); every other form is condemned. No Presbyterian minister teaches that if a man is not baptized for the remission of sins he will be damned. But such is the teaching of the Book of Mormon (III. Nephi 12:31). Presbyterian ministers do not believe in latter-day revelation, yet the Book of Mormon is full of such doctrine; in fact, condemnation is pronounced upon him "that shall deny the revelations of the Lord, and that shall say the Lord no longer worketh by revelation, or by prophecy, or by gifts, or by tongues, or by healings, or by the power of the Holy Ghost" (III. Nephi 29: 6). Do Presbyterian ministers teach that after Christ had risen from the dead He visited the western hemisphere and there organized His Church among the people of that land, the same as He did in the land of Palestine, with apostles, prophets, and other divinely-commissioned officers? They do not. Yet that is what the Book of Mormon teaches. Are we to believe that if the Presbyterian clergyman, to whom the opponents of "Mormonism" give credit for the authorship of the Book of Mormon, were on the earth now he would advocate all these doctrines? Is the Presbyterian Church willing for all this "Mormon” doctrine to be charged to one of its ministers? We think not. So our opponents must either accept the theory of Joseph Smith concerning the origin of the Book of Mormon or look for some other author than Solomon Spaulding.-W. A. M.

66

FOR THE TRUTH'S SAKE.

MY DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS,

It gives me great pleasure to bear my humble testimony to what I know to be the true gospel of Christ. Those of you who have read the MILLENNIAL STAR through the year 1907 will have read (in the issue of April 25th) the account of "How I found the truth." I will now relate to you a little of my experience in 'Accepting the truth." My parents had refused to allow me to be baptized, and were very bitter against "Mormonism." However, I was not to be daunted, and resolved to wait until time would permit me to act for myself. I waited twelve months, and was as desirous for baptism then as I was before. It happened that two elders (James A. Cragun and Jesse Pocock) were laboring at Paignton, and were holding cottage meetings at Torquay. I attended these meetings several Sundays, but at last got into trouble at home through the interference of my brother-in-law,

who told my parents where I had been. I was taken to task about it, and I told them quietly, but firmly, that it was quite right, I had been to the meetings, and also that I intended going on the following day (Sunday). This roused their anger, but I found the time for action had come, and that I must go through with it. My parents were furious with me, and after grossly insulting me, I was turned from home. I was allowed to pack my boxes, and once I thought, "Shall I give up the truth and remain at home, or shall I stand firm and go?" While I reflected the following verse of a hymn rang in my ears:

Do what is right, let the consequence follow,

Battle for freedom, in spirit and might,

And with stout hearts look ye forth till to-morrow,
God will protect you, do what is right.

I at once resolved to press onward. My mind was free from all doubt as to what I should do. I put myself under God's promise to protect me, and left home the next morning to find refuge in the home of Brother and Sister Warren, of Cotford Terrace, Upton Hill, Torquay. God was with me, and they had been led by Him to receive me into their home. I stayed there the whole of Sunday and came back again to business on Monday morning, and also to get the remainder of my luggage. While I was in my room collecting my things, my mother came to me and asked me to come back again, saying I was at liberty to follow the trash I believed in. Although I felt terribly hurt at the merciless way I had been treated, I felt it was my duty to return. I was able to attend meetings until they came to a close, and to enjoy my own religious opinions. On February 7th of this year, Brother and Sister Warren, their daughter and myself were baptized at Plymouth by Elder Cragun. Although we have no branch of the Church at Torquay, and feel greatly at a loss without our cottage meetings, we know that God is with us, to guide us into all truth. May this humble testimony make strong the faint heart of some who would stand aside and fail to obey the gospel for fear of persecution. Press onward, the goal is in sight. It is persecution that makes us strong. Trust yourselves to God who alone can save. May He keep us safe and be merciful to those who persecute us, is the prayer of your sister in the gospel of Christ,

LILIAN E. GIBSON.

No matter how disagreeable your work, or how much trouble you may have, resolve that whatever comes to you or does not come to you, you will keep sweet, that you will not allow your disposition to sour, that you will face the sunlight no matter how deep the shadows. You can make poetry out of the prosiest life and bring sunshine into the darkest home; you can develop beauty and grace amid the ugliest surroundings. It is not circumstances, so much as attitude of mind, that gives happiness.-Selected.

BISHOP KNOX AND RACE SUICIDE.

To a large audience of well-dressed men, assembled in the Palace Theatre, Blackpool, on Sunday afternoon last, Bishop Knox delivered a striking address, referring specially to social evils and the abuse of the human body. Beginning with an allusion to the Olympic races, he said that when people wanted to talk about a great race of men, they referred to the Greeks of a thousand years ago. They were fine, athletic men, but what a contrast between them and the Jews, who believed in God, while the Greeks said their bodies were their own, and that they had a right to do with them as they pleased!

While this race had vanished from the earth, the Jews, though persecuted and despised, largely through their financial power, ruled the world. It was really the love of sensuality which ruined the Greeks.

Drawing a parallel with the present day, Bishop Knox said the Lambeth Conference were agreed unanimously in one thing, that there was a great need for uplifting the British race. On these questions of the protection of the human body, and the respect which men paid to it, the Conference in its report pointed out that in all parts of the world the British race was committing race suicide.

The birth-rate was going down at a terrible rate, and, what was worse, it was wilful and purposed. He joined with the Conference in appealing to the men to save the nation, their homes, and their manhood, to call these terrible practices by their right names, and to say that they should not be.

A race of small families born into easy circumstances could not hold its own against the pressure of races all over the world that were arming themselves and coming upon us, following our civilization, and ready to swallow us up altogether.

Personally, he thanked God for his own hardy childhood, and that his father had a large family, little money, and a struggle to bring them all up. If the British race was to be saved, it would only be by healthy public opinion.

Increase of divorce was awfully rapid. Women were trying to escape the trouble of motherhood, sometimes for ease and luxury, sometimes to earn wages in competition with men, and, worse than all, our children were being sacrificed.

The heathen women, who sacrificed their children to the fiery god, were kinder to them than were those who brought up their daughters to shame and infamy, or passed on to their offspring tainted bodies, and the inheritance of vicious and sensual desires. -Daily Dispatch.

It is good to know much, but better to make use of what we know. TYNDALL.

THE LATTER-DAY SAINTS' MILLENNIAL STAR.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 1908.

THE "MERCURY" AND THE "MORMONS."

THE English press of recent times has exhibited a much fairer spirit than formerly towards the Latter-day Saints, or "Mormons" as they choose to call us, and corrections of false statements, which appeared in many newspapers, have been given space in their columns. For such courtesies we have been truly thankful. We were somewhat surprised, therefore, that the Liverpool Post and Mercury gave place to scurrilous statements concerning "Mormonism" and the "Mormons," and failed to insert temperate refutations of those stories. That paper further printed an editorial against what it called "the Mormon propaganda,” exhibiting great lack of understanding of the subject on which it treated, and praising the libellous and illogical attacks made by the Vicar of St. Nathaniel's, which were completely repelled and shattered through the columns of the MILLENNIAL STAR. The Post and Mercury has been looked upon in this office as an able and impartial public journal, and for several days surprise was mingled with disappointment at the non-appearance in that paper of fair and respectful replies to the accusation it printed. However, after some delay, one letter from the "Mormon" side of the question has been given to the readers of the Mercury, for which we are duly thankful.

The Post and Mercury itself can be paid some attention to. The blatant agitators whose exploits in Liverpool are well known to the police courts, and whose sole intent is to attract public attention, yet whose communications have been given space on the pages of that paper, may be passed by with the contempt that they deserve, and in which they are regarded by many respectable people of different Christian churches and societies. The Mercury appears to be under the impression that "the 'Mormon' propaganda" and its "active campaign," with headquarters in Liverpool, is something new under the sun, and that only "the young, the credulous and the ignorant" are impressed with the doctrines and teachings set forth by the missionaries and in the tracts which they distribute. If the editor had made inquiries so as to be accurate in his statements, he would have learned without much