I know that with a certainty that he was a prophet of The Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Though him the LDS faith as grown to what it is today. He translated the Book Of Morman. He only had a 3rd grade reading level. To that how would one man with out faith in God be able to translate the old writings of the prophets? He was strong in his belief in God and to that he was blessed. He is the first Prophet of the LDS Religion.

Yes he was a prophet because i fits the profile of a prophet i also know he is a prophet because like it says in james 1 verse 5 if any man lack wisdom let him ask of god that giveth to all man libraly and upbradeth not and it shall be given him i have prayed and asked god to know if he is a prophet and i got my answer i have also prayed about his fruits the book of morman

Joseph Smith is only a prophet to those who are of the Mormon beliefs. People who believe that the Bible and only the Bible is the true and "God Breathed" Word of God, don't believe that Joseph Smith is a prophet at all. No other denomination of "Christianity" whether it be Protestant or Catholic believe that Joseph Smith was a prophet. So it all depends on who it is you are asking.

Some who have responded to this question have said that it depends on who you ask. I would like to disagree with those people. The beliefs of men in no way determine whether a person is a prophet or not. What determines whether some one is a prophet is if God calls him to be a prophet. Just because a majority of Christians don't accept that Joseph Smith was a prophet doesn't mean that he wasn't. I can point out numerous instances when the majority believed something that was later proven to be untrue. For example, most people once thought that the Earth was flat (some still do). However, we now know that the Earth is a sphere. With respect to religion, a substantial majority of the world's population doesn't believe that Jesus was the Son of God and the Savior and Redeemer of the world. Does this mean that those of us that do believe this are wrong? I challenge you to show me one time when the majority of the world have ever agreed on any religion since at least the Tower of Babel. So, just because a majority of Christians don't believe in Joseph Smith's prophetic calling doesn't prove anything. As for me, I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. He was called to this position by the All Mighty Himself. Joseph received his authority from the apostles Peter, James, and John who received their authority from and were acting under the direction of Jesus Christ. I know this because the Holy Ghost has told me that it is true.

He was a self-proclaimed prophet who profited all the way to the bank.

I firmly believe that he was a false prophet because he claimed that the Book of Mormon was another testament of Jesus Christ. In Revelation, God specifically declares that we're not to add nor take away any books from the Bible. Clearly, there is only 1 Word of God and that's the Bible. In conclusion, Joseph Smith was a false prophet.

If making prophets that don't come true makes him a prophet then yes. President Smith then stated that the meeting had been called, because God had commanded it; and it was made known to him by vision and by the Holy Spirit. . . . it was the will of God that they should be ordained to the ministry and go forth to prune the vineyard for the last time, for the coming of the Lord, which was nigh — even fifty six years should wind up the scene. (History of the Church, Vol. 2, page 182). This prophecy was spoken by Joseph Smith in 1835, and recorded by Oliver Cowdery. The fifty-six years were passed by 1891.

Verily, thus saith the Lord: It is wisdom in my servant David W. Patten, that he settle up all his business as soon as he possibly can, and make a disposition of his merchandise, that he may perform a mission unto me next spring, in company with others, even twelve including himself, to testify of my name and bear glad tidings unto the world. (Doctrine & Covenants 114:1) This prophecy was made on April 17, 1838. David W. Patten died in October of 1838 and thus never went on a mission the following spring.

I prophecy in the name of the Lord God of Israel, unless the United States redress the wrongs committed upon the Saints in the state of Missouri and punish the crimes committed by her officers that in a few years the government will be utterly overthrown and wasted, and there will not be so much as a potsherd left for their wickedness in permitting the murder of men, women and children, and the wholesale plunder and extermination of thousands of her citizens to go unpunished (History of the Church, Vol. 5, page 394). Joseph Smith made this prophecy in May 6, 1843. However, the United States Government did not redress any of the wrongs committed against the Mormons in Missouri, and now over 150 years later, the U.S. Government still stands.

While discussing the petition to Congress, I prophesied, by virtue of the holy Priesthood vested in me, and in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that, if Congress will not hear our petition and grant us protection, they shall be broken up as a government, and God shall damn them, and there shall be nothing left of them — not even a grease spot. (Millennial Star, Vol. 22, p. 455. See also History of the Church (HC), vol. 6, p. 116, though when this prediction was incorporated into the official history, Mormon Church leaders decided to leave out the "grease spot" part.) The petition was not heard nor was protection granted (Deseret News, Vol. 1, p. 59). Yet, Congress was never broken up and continues to function to this day. It is interesting that the compilers of History of the Church, added an editorial note in an attempt to soften or explain this prophecy. They state that: "This prediction doubtless has reference to the party in power; to the ‘government’ considered as the administration;" (note, p. 116). According to the note in HC, this means the Democratic Party, which was in control at the time. However, the prediction is that "Congress shall be broken up as a government" and Congress is made up of representatives from both parties. The Saints were making an appeal to the General Government, not to the Democratic Party, a point made by a summary statement in the left margin beside this prophecy as it is recorded in HC

This prophecy is recorded in Doctrine & Covenants Section 111. The introduction to this prophecy, found at the beginning of Section 111 states: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Salem, Massachusetts, August 6, 1836. HC 2:465-466. At this time the leaders of the [LDS] Church were heavily in debt due to their labors in the ministry. 1. I, the Lord your God, am not displeased with your coming this journey, notwithstanding your follies. 2. I have much treasure in this city for you, for the benefit of Zion, and many people in this city, whom I will gather out in due time for the benefit of Zion, through your instrumentality. 3. Therefore, it is expedient that you should form acquaintance with men in this city, as you shall be led, and as it shall be given you. 4. And it shall come to pass in due time that I will give this city into your hands, that you shall have power over it, insomuch that they shall not discover your secret parts; and its wealth pertaining to gold and silver shall be yours. 5. Concern not yourselves about your debts, for I will give you power to pay them. No treasure was ever discovered, nor did Salem ever fell into the hands of the Mormons.

And now I am prepared to say by the authority of Jesus Christ, that not many years shall pass away before the United States shall present such a scene of bloodshed as has not a parallel in the history of our nation; pestilence, hail, famine, and earthquake will sweep the wicked of this generation from off the face of the land, to open and prepare the way for the return of the lost tribes of Israel from the north country. The people of the Lord, those who have complied with the requirements of the new covenant, have already commenced gathering together to Zion, which is in the state of Missouri; therefore I declare unto you the warning which the Lord has commanded to declare unto this generation, remembering that the eyes of my Maker are upon me, and that to him I am accountable for every word I say, wishing nothing worse to my fellow-men than their eternal salvation; therefore, "Fear God, and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment is come." Repent ye, repent ye, and embrace the everlasting covenant and flee to Zion, before the overflowing scourge overtake you, for there are those now living upon the earth whose eyes shall not be closed in death until they see all these things, which I have spoken, fulfilled (History of the Church, Vol. 1, pp. 315-316). Such a widespread destruction of the wicked of that generation never occurred.

This prophecy comes directly from Doctrine & Covenants Section 84, the introduction of which states: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, September 22 and 23, 1832. HC 1:286-295. 1. A revelation of Jesus Christ unto his servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and six elders, as they united their hearts and lifted their voices on high. 2. Yea, the word of the Lord concerning his church, established in the last days for the restoration of his people, as he has spoken by the mouth of his prophets, and for the gathering of his saints to stand upon Mount Zion, which shall be the city of New Jerusalem. 3. Which city shall be built, beginning at the temple lot, which is appointed by the finger of the Lord, in the western boundaries of the State of Missouri, and dedicated by the hand of Joseph Smith, Jun., and others with whom the Lord was well pleased. 4. Verily, this is the word of the Lord, that the city New Jerusalem shall be built by the gathering of the saints, beginning at this place, even the place of the temple, which temple shall be reared in this generation. 5. For verily this generation shall not all pass away until an house shall be built unto the Lord, and a cloud shall rest upon it, which cloud shall be even the glory of the Lord, which shall fill the house. The Mormons were forced to flee Missouri due to persecution and a temple was never built on the "temple lot" in the lifetime of Joseph Smith or within the generation of his contemporaries.

No, he wasn't.

I believe he was, yes.

He is a true prophet to Mormons, and since all religion is based upon faith (in the absence of scientific proof supporting any particular belief), I imagine Joseph Smith is no more of a "false prophet" than any other religious figure of any faith. Mind you, I personally don't believe any of the Joseph Smith lore; I think he was a kook. My opinion is irrelevant, though.

Read the following and then ask if he's a prophet. Examples of fulfilled prophecies: Accurate Prophecies of the Civil War On Dec. 25, 1832, Joseph received the following revelation about the American Civil War, now printed as Section 87 of the Doctrine and Covenants: 1 Verily, thus saith the Lord concerning the wars that will shortly come to pass, beginning at the rebellion of South Carolina, which will eventually terminate in the death and misery of many souls; 2 And the time will come that war will be poured out upon all nations, beginning at this place. 3 For behold, the Southern States shall be divided against the Northern States, and the Southern States will call on other nations, even the nation of Great Britain, as it is called, and they shall also call upon other nations, in order to defend themselves against other nations; and then war shall be poured out upon all nations. 4 And it shall come to pass, after many days, slaves shall rise up against their masters, who shall be marshaled and disciplined for war. 5 And it shall come to pass also that the remnants who are left of the land will marshal themselves, and shall become exceedingly angry, and shall vex the Gentiles with a sore vexation. 6 And thus, with the sword and by bloodshed the inhabitants of the earth shall mourn; and with famine, and plague, and earthquake, and the thunder of heaven, and the fierce and vivid lightning also, shall the inhabitants of the earth be made to feel the wrath, and indignation, and chastening hand of an Almighty God, until the consumption decreed hath made a full end of all nations; 7 That the cry of the Saints, and of the blood of the Saints, shall cease to come up into the ears of the Lord of Saboath, from the earth, to be avenged of their enemies. 8 Wherefore, stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come; for behold it cometh quickly, saith the Lord. Amen. Beginning in the 1830s, LDS missionaries carried manuscript copies of the above revelation with in their missionary journeys, and "frequently read it to their congregations in various parts of the United States" (Roberts, p. 315). The entire revelation was printed in 1851 in Liverpool, England, in a pamphlet entitled, "The Pearl of Great Price." This was a decade before the first shot of the Civil War on April 12, 1861. Thus, the prediction was made 28 years before its fulfillment, and was printed and circulated in England and in the United States at least ten years before. Further, while speaking in Ramus, Illinois, on April 2, 1843, Joseph said: "I prophesy, in the name of the Lord God, that the commencement of the difficulties which will cause much bloodshed previous to the coming of the Son of Man will be in South Carolina. It may probably arise through the slave question. This a voice declared to me, while I was praying earnestly on the subject, December 25th, 1832." Was Joseph's prophecy just a case of noting existing tensions and making obvious extrapolations? Hardly! While there had been tensions between the South and the North, including talk of secession, hardly anyone seriously thought that civil war would erupt. Americans had great faith in their nation and in democracy. In fact, there were members of the Church who were so shaken by the "ridiculous" nature of Joseph's civil war prophecy that they left the Church, rejecting him as a false prophet. Even if Joseph were trying to make something out of trends and currents he saw in society, the many specific details of his prophecy suggest that more than reason and guesswork were needed to be so accurate. Let's consider the details that he accurately predicted: 1. The war would begin with the rebellion of South Carolina. 2. It would cause the death and misery of many souls. 3. The Southern States would be divided against the Northern States. 4. The Southern States would call upon other nations for assistance, even upon the nation of Great Britain. 5. Great Britain would call upon other nations for assistance 6. War would eventually be poured out upon all nations. Now in December of 1832 there was controversy involving South Carolina and the issue of states' rights. South Carolina had advocated the doctrine of "nullification," arguing that a state could nullify federal laws or taxes that they ruled to be unconstitutional. If there was federal resistance, then South Carolina said they could leave the Union. President Andrew Jackson argued against their position. With much controversy in the air, it would seem logical that Joseph be stirred to ponder the events of the day and inquire of the Lord, resulting in the revelation of Dec. 1832. But there was no reasonable expectation of war at that time, or even in 1851 when the prophecy was more widely publicized. Can anyone offer evidence from writings of American statesmen or scholars in 1832, 1843, or 1851 that make such predictions? Did other wise minds of the day foresee what Joseph saw? Neither a scholar or statesmen, the uneducated 27-year old man, Joseph Smith, saw what would happen by the spirit of revelation. It is a fact of history that South Carolina took the initiative that led to the rebellion of the Southern States and that the war began in South Carolina. Reacting negatively to the election of Abraham Lincoln, South Carolina's leaders convened on Dec. 20, 1860 and passed an ordinance of secession. Newly elected Governor Pickins then declared "the dissolution of the union between the state of South Carolina and the other states under the name of the United States." Ten other states later joined South Carolina, but she was the first to rebel. The Civil War was the bloodiest this country has ever seen, causing about 400,000 deaths. The South did enlist the aid of Great Britain and also sought help from France (Great Britain, as I recall, also encouraged France to assist the South). Later, after war had been poured out on the nations of the earth, Great Britain found herself threatened by Nazi Germany and called upon other nations of the earth for her defense. After the Civil War, international intrigues and wars grew to increasing severity, with ghastly international scenes of horror during World War I and World War II, with dozens of other wars having been fought and going on at the moment. War has always been on the earth, but the scale of destruction since the Civil War has grown sharply, and war in the past century has become increasingly multinational rather than bilateral. Truly, war has been poured out on all nations. Joseph said that "after many days" slaves would rise up against their masters. I don't think that referred to the Civil War, but to later events, perhaps events that I have seen in my lifetime. Uprisings of repressed peoples in many Communist nations and other authoritarian states may have been meant in the prophecy. Past and future uprisings of some groups in the United States may also be meant. During the Civil War itself, however, there were relatively few instances of slaves rising up against their masters. The prophecy, however, says "after many days" (meaning, I think, many days after the prophesied war had begun), not "during the Civil War." Orson Pratt was a young missionary who told others of Joseph's civil war prophecy long before it occurred. He was mocked for it, as were many others. Here are his words (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 13, p. 135. as cited by Otten & Caldwell in Sacred Truths of the Doctrine & Covenants, Vol.2, pp.93-94): This prophecy has been printed and circulated extensively in this and other nations and languages. It pointed out the place where it should commence in South Carolina. That which I declared over the New England States, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and many other parts in the East, when but a boy, came to pass twenty-eight years after the revelation was given. When they were talking about a war commencing down here in Kansas, I told them that was not the place; I also told them that the revelation had designated South Carolina, "and," said I, "you have no need to think that the Kansas war is going to be the war that is to be so terribly destructive in its character and nature. No, it must commence at the place the Lord has designated by revelation." What did they have to say to me? They thought it was a Mormon humbug, and laughed me to scorn, and they looked upon that revelation as they do upon all others that God has given in these latter days -- as without divine authority. But behold and lo! in process of time it came to pass, again establishing the divinity of this work, and giving another proof that God is in this work, and is performing that which He spoke by the mouths of the ancient prophets, as recorded in the Book of Mormon before any Church of Latter-day Saints was in existence. In an article about Orson Pratt's use of the Civil War Prophecy, William G. Hartley discusses Orson's experiences to show how non-Mormons viewed the prophecy before its fulfillment, and how the non-Mormon editors of one newspaper reacted to Joseph's prophecy once the Civil War broke out ("Prophecy in His Pocket," New Era, Jan. 1989, pp. 44-45): "When I [Orson Pratt] was a boy, I traveled extensively in the United States and the Canadas, preaching this restored Gospel. I had a manuscript copy of this revelation (on civil war), which I carried in my pocket, and I was in the habit of reading it to the people among whom I traveled and preached." How did his listeners respond? Did they say, "Well, it takes no prophet to see war will start in South Carolina"? No. Said Orson: "As a general thing the people regarded it as the height of nonsense, saying the Union was too strong to be broken; and I they said, was led away, the victim of an impostor." When South Carolina's secession threats cooled down after 1832, did Orson begin to doubt the prophecy? No, because "I knew the prophecy was true, for the Lord had spoken to me and had given me revelation." But year after year passed away without war, and now and then "some of the acquaintances I had formerly made would say, 'Well, what is going to become of that prediction? It's never going to be fulfilled.'" Orson replied, "Wait, the Lord has his set time." ... When war broke out in April 1861, 28 years after the prophecy was pronounced, the Philadelphia Sunday Mercury newspaper carried a lengthy article entitled "A Mormon Prophecy." "We have in our possession a pamphlet, published at Liverpool, in 1851," the article began, referring to the civil war prophecy. "In view of our present troubles, this prediction seems to be in progress of fulfillment, whether Joe Smith was a humbug or not." The article reprinted the entire prophecy, then noted how events were fulfilling it, and concluded regarding Joseph Smith: "Have we not had a prophet among us?" As Fort Sumter surrendered, others, like the Mercury's editors, remembered hearing about the prophecy. Perhaps some of those who once scoffed when youthful missionary Orson Pratt pulled the prophecy from his pocket and read it now had cause to wonder, to worry, and to wish they had listened more closely to what the rest of the prophecy said. Sources: Andrew Jenson, Latter-day Saints Biographical Encyclopedia 1:87-91; Orson Pratt Discourse, August 26, 1876, in Journal of Discourses 18:224-5; Philadelphia Sunday Mercury clipping in Journal History, 5 May 1861. Modern anti-Mormons try to mock Joseph's prophecy as obvious, though it clearly wasn't. Some, in their desperation to attack, may even be tempted to alter the words of the prophecy to make an easier target. Norman Geisler's essay, "Scripture," in the book The Counterfeit Gospel of Mormonism (Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House, 1998, pp. 9-49) subtly changes the phrase "the time will come that war will be poured out upon all nations" to "the time will come that the war will be poured out upon all nations" and then argues that this part of the prophecy deals with the Civil War only (see Alma Allred, "Coin of the Realm: Beware of Specious Specie" in FARMS Review of Books, Vol. 12, No. 1, 2000, pp. 137-174). This is, of course, the leading tactic in anti-Mormon writings: misrepresent LDS teachings with something easily attacked, and then attack the new (but bogus) target. It's much easier that way, but only the unwary will be fooled. Brigham Young and others knew that Joseph was speaking of events much greater than just the Civil War, and knew that he had prophesied of future wars beyond what was published in the Doctrine and Covenants. Brigham said this: Brother Hyde spoke of a revelation which he tried to find in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants. That revelation was reserved at the time the compilation for that book was made by Oliver Cowdery and others, in Kirtland. It was not wisdom to publish it to the world, and it remained in the private escritoire [desk]. Brother Joseph had that revelation concerning this nation at a time when the brethren were reflecting and reasoning with regard to African slavery on this continent, and the slavery of the children of men throughout the world. There are other revelations, besides this one, not yet published to the world. Journal of Discourses, 8:58. Alma Allred (op. cit., p. 166) explains that Joseph's prophecy about war being poured out on all nations had a wider application than just the Civil War, in spite of Mr. Geisler's uninspired translation of the text. Allred also explains that Orson Hyde was mocked by Eastern papers after an 1850 public speech in which he stated that war was about to divide the nation. In 1862, after the beginning of the Civil War, he wrote an "I told you so" letter to the editor of the Missouri Republican of Springfield. What he wrote shows that Joseph's prophecies of war went well beyond the Civil War and, as Allred puts it, "included an additional, chilling detail of events yet future." Here is the excerpt from Orson Hyde: You have scarcely yet read the preface of your national trouble. Many nations will be drawn into the American maelstrom that now whirls through our land; and after many days, when the demon of war shall have exhausted his strength and madness upon American soil, by the destruction of all that can court or provoke opposition, he will remove his headquarters to the banks of the Rhine. Millennial Star, 24 (3 May 1862):274-275, emphasis added. Hyde refers to the demon of war itself, and not just the then-present Civil War, that would later find it's headquarters on the banks of the Rhine - a most appropriate way to foreshadow the great World Wars of this century, wars which were focused on that nation on the banks of the Rhine, Germany, but wars which would involve us and many other nations. It is reasonable to assume that Hyde's reference to the banks of the Rhine is derived from unpublished prophetic statements from Joseph Smith, though we cannot be sure. In any case, it's clear that Joseph's 1832 prophecy of civil war was not obvious to everybody, as our critics contend, or Orson Hyde would not have been mocked by journalists for reiterating that prophecy, and neither would Orson Pratt have had such opposition concerning the prophecy before its fulfillment. And would the editors of the Philadelphia Sunday Mercury have dared refer to "Joe Smith" as "a prophet among us" if his prophecy had been so obvious? For more detailed information on Joseph's amazing prophecy of the Civil War, see Kerry Shirts' page, "A War on the Civil War Prophecy." The Saints to Flourish in the Rocky Mountains In 1831, Joseph prophesied that "Zion shall flourish upon the hills and rejoice upon the mountains, and shall be assembled together unto the place which I have appointed" (Doctrine and Covenants 49:25). A related and more specific prophecy was given in 1842, as described in the following excerpt from B. H. Roberts,Comprehensive History of the Church , Vol. 2, Ch. 51, pp.181-182: On the 6th of August, 1842, with quite a number of his brethren, he [Joseph Smith] crossed the Mississippi river to the town of Montrose, to be present at the installation of the Masonic Lodge of the Rising Sun. A block schoolhouse had been prepared with shade in front, under which was a barrel of ice water, Judge James Adams was the highest Masonic authority in the state of Illinois, and had been sent there to organize this lodge. He and Hyrum Smith, being high Masons, went into the house to perform some ceremonies which the others were not entitled to witness. These, including Joseph Smith, remained under the bowery. Joseph, as he was tasting the cold water, warned the brethren not to be too free with it. With the tumbler still in his hand he prophesied that the saints would yet go to the Rocky Mountains; and, said he, this water tastes much like that of the crystal streams that are running from the snow-capped mountains. We will let Mr. Call describe this prophetic scene: 'I had before seen him in a vision, and now saw while he was talking his countenance change to white; not the deadly white of a bloodless face, but a living, brilliant white. He seemed absorbed in gazing at something at a great distance, and said: 'I am gazing upon the valleys of those mountains.' This was followed by a vivid description of the scenery of these mountains, as I have since become acquainted with it. Pointing to Shadrach Roundy and others, he said: 'There are some men here who shall do a great work in that land.' Pointing to me, he said: 'There is Anson, he shall go and shall assist in building up cities from one end of the country to the other; and you, rather extending the idea to all those he had spoken of, shall perform as great a work as has been done by man, so that the nations of the earth shall be astonished, and many of them will be gathered in that land and assist in building cities and temples, and Israel shall be made to rejoice. Of this prophecy, Joseph wrote: I prophesied that the Saints would continue to suffer much affliction and would be driven to the Rocky Mountains, many would apostatize, others would be put to death by our persecutors or lose their lives in consequence of exposure or disease, and some of you will live to go and assist in making settlements and build cities and see the Saints become a mighty people in the midst of the Rocky Mountains. (History of the Church , Vol.5, Ch.4, p.85) The Saints did suffer much more affliction and migrated to the Rocky Mountains in 1847, several years after Joseph was killed. There they built settlements and cities along stretches of many hundreds of miles in the West, from Canada to Mexico. In the midst of the Rockies, the Latter-day Saints have arguably become a mighty or at least a noteworthy people, where they "flourish upon the hills and rejoice upon the mountains, . . . assembled together unto the place . . . appointed" (D&C 49:25). Indeed, the establishment of holy temples and a great international religious center in Utah, in the tops of the Rocky Mountains, appears to be a fulfillment of Biblical prophecy in Isaiah 2:2-5: 2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. 5 O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD. Tangential note on the name "Utah": I have heard many times that the name "Utah," given to the State by non-LDS politicians, means "top of the mountains" in the Ute or Paiute language. I've long assumed this was just a "faith-promoting rumor," but an acquaintance of mine contacted the Ute Indian Tribal council and was told that Ute means "high place/mountain tops", and was used to name themselves after the terrain in which they lived (Utah territory). A little information about Ute language is at http://www.gazette.com/utes/ut10.html, where we learn that the Utes are called "the mountain people." See also the Utah State page of quick facts at http://www.state.ut.us/about/facts.html or the page at http://www.50states.com/utah.htm, which indicates that the name "Utah" comes from the Native American "Ute" tribe and means "people of the mountains." A page for University of Utah sports fans, http://utahutes.fansonly.com/trads/ute-trads-what.html, also explains that Ute means "high place" and that the name is used with permission from the Ute Tribal Council. (That Web page is an unbiased source, of course, for anyone supporting U of U sports couldn't possibly be pursuing a pro-LDS agenda. I say that as an objective BYU alumnus.) Well, if the Utes call themselves people of the mountains, then maybe the name Utah, imposed on would-be Deseret-dwellers by non-Mormons, does in fact fit Isaiah 2 ironically well. As for the reasonableness of Joseph's prophecy in 1842, B.H. Roberts explains (New Witnesses for God , Vol. 1, pp. 302-303): At that date, August 6th, 1842, the Rocky Mountains seemed like a country afar off to the people of Illinois. The Missouri River was the extreme frontiers of the United States. All beyond that was well nigh an unexplored wilderness filled with savages. The church was fairly settled at Nauvoo, the state authorities were apparently very friendly, the future of the Saints in Illinois seemed propitious. Yet in the midst of all these favorable circumstances the Prophet predicted much affliction for some of the Saints, death from persecution for others, apostasy for many, and for the great body of the church an exodus to the Rocky Mountains, where some of those present who were listening to the prediction, should live to assist in making settlements and building cities in the Rocky Mountains where they would see the Saints become a mighty people. There can be no question as to the reality of these two predictions, the one of March, 1831, and the other of August, 1842, or of their being of a character to test the divine inspiration of him who uttered them. That they were proclaimed some years before the events predicted in them began to be fulfilled, or even there was any thought or prospect of such events taking place, is well known; that the latter prophecy has been fulfilled to the uttermost, the whole history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from August, 1842, until now witnesses. The Saints suffered many afflictions in Illinois. Their homes, fields, stacks of grain, stock and other property were destroyed; their prophets and a number of others were killed outright by mob violence; many more perished from exposure and disease occasioned by being driven from their homes at an inclement season of the year. In those trying times, following the martyrdom of the Prophet and the expulsion from Nauvoo, many turned away from the faith, and it is too generally known to need comment, that the great body of the church made its way to the Rocky Mountains, where cities, towns and villages have been founded, the wilderness subdued, and the Saints are fast becoming a mighty people. The Liberty Jail Prophecies: Brightness in the Midst of Gloom 1838 was a terrible year for the young Church, just 8 years old. There had been persecution since its inception, with mobs driving the Latter-day Saints from New York to Ohio and again from Ohio to Missouri. The Saints believed Missouri was a special place and hoped to build the city of Zion there, though that day still lies in the future. Instead of peace and prosperity, the Latter-day Saints found some of the worst persecution yet. What was to have been their new center was blasted with bullets and burned with fire by hateful mobs. Many were killed and assaulted. Instead of protecting a persecuted people, Governor Lilburn Boggs issued an extermination order calling for the murder of the Mormons if they remained. (See my related page, "Mormons and Danites: The Historical Background in Missouri.") Disarmed and threatened with death, the surviving Saints had no choice but to leave, crossing the Mississippi to seek for shelter in Illinois. Joseph Smith was not with the refugees to comfort them in that dark hour. For the winter of 1838 to 1839, Joseph was confined in a cold, damp basement cell in Missouri, held on false charges (including murder, treason, burglary, arson, larceny, theft and stealing) by those who wished to destroy him and the Church. Here he would be forced to hear his captors boast of how they had killed and raped Mormons. Here he would be offered human flesh to eat by his inhuman guards (but he was inspired not to eat it before he learned what it was). Here he would wonder if he should ever see his family again. By all counts, it looked as if the enemies of the Church would achieve their sinister desires. After languishing and suffering for months in the ironically named Liberty Jail, a despairing Joseph wrote the following words in March of 1839 (Doctrine and Covenants Section 121:1-3): 1 O God, where art thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place? 2 How long shall thy hand be stayed, and thine eye, yea thy pure eye, behold from the eternal heavens the wrongs of thy people and of thy servants, and thine ear be penetrated with their cries? 3 Yea, O Lord, how long shall they suffer these wrongs and unlawful oppressions, before thine heart shall be softened toward them, and thy bowels be moved with compassion toward them? The Lord's response to Joseph included wonderful revelations and prophecies in Section 121 and 122 of the Doctrine and Covenants. This included a message of comfort, a promise of deliverance, and an assurance of justice: 7 My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; 8 And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes. 9 Thy friends do stand by thee, and they shall hail thee again with warm hearts and friendly hands. 10 Thou art not yet as Job; thy friends do not contend against thee, neither charge thee with transgression, as they did Job. 11 And they who do charge thee with transgression, their hope shall be blasted, and their prospects shall melt away as the hoar frost melteth before the burning rays of the rising sun; . . . 16 Cursed are all those that shall lift up the heel against mine anointed, saith the Lord, and cry they have sinned when they have not sinned before me, saith the Lord, but have done that which was meet in mine eyes, and which I commanded them. 17 But those who cry transgression do it because they are the servants of sin, and are the children of disobedience themselves. The Lord then gave Joseph great revelations about the Millennium, which is yet to come. Then, in Section 122, the Lord told Joseph that: 1 The ends of the earth shall inquire after thy name, and fools shall have thee in derision, and hell shall rage against thee; 2 While the pure in heart, and the wise, and the noble, and the virtuous, shall seek counsel, and authority, and blessings constantly from under thy hand. That prophecy has been fulfilled. Joseph could have been killed in that prison, unable to return to his friends as promised in Section 121. Instead, in April 1839, after six months of illegal imprisonment, someone in authority acted to allow the Mormon prisoners to escape during a change of venue, perhaps desiring to avoid public embarrassment by having a trial without evidence. Joseph and his brother Hyrum , about 10 days after being allowed to escape, arrived in Quincy, Illinois and found their families impoverished but alive and healthy. As was prophesied in verse 9 of Section 121, Joseph was greeted by "friends do stand by thee," and did greet him again "with warm hearts and friendly hands." Joseph and the Church could have been destroyed by their persecutors. Joseph's few years as leader of a small and hated group could have ended in obscurity. Instead, the name of Joseph Smith is known across the world today, as was prophesied. Hell rages against the name of Joseph Smith, as enemies devise every manner of lie to slander Joseph and the Latter-day Saints, while millions seek counsel, authority, and blessings that have been given to us from Christ, revealed and restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith. The next few verses of Section 122 also contain related prophecies and inspired words that have been precious to many people in times of affliction: 3 And thy people shall never be turned against thee by the testimony of traitors. 4 And although their influence shall cast thee into trouble, and into bars and walls, thou shalt be had in honor; and but for a small moment and thy voice shall be more terrible in the midst of thine enemies than the fierce lion, because of thy righteousness; and thy God shall stand by thee forever and ever. 5 If thou art called to pass through tribulation; if thou art in perils among false brethren; if thou art in perils among robbers; if thou art in perils by land or by sea; 6 If thou art accused with all manner of false accusations; if thine enemies fall upon thee; if they tear thee from the society of thy father and mother and brethren and sisters; and if with a drawn sword thine enemies tear thee from the bosom of thy wife, and of thine offspring, and thine elder son, although but six years of age, shall cling to thy garments, and shall say, My father, my father, why can't you stay with us? O, my father, what are the men going to do with you? and if then he shall be thrust from thee by the sword, and thou be dragged to prison, and thine enemies prowl around thee like wolves for the blood of the lamb; 7 And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good. 8 The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he? 9 Therefore, hold on thy way, and the priesthood shall remain with thee; for their bounds are set, they cannot pass. Thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever. That such inspiring words were written under the dismal conditions of the Liberty Jail in Missouri is a witness of the character of the Prophet Joseph Smith. In addition, the prophecy about future imprisonments and persecutions was accurate. Joseph would be killed 5 years later by conspiring enemies of the Church while he was held in another prison, Carthage Jail in Illinois. In spite of all the attacks on Joseph and all the slander, the Latter-day Saints have not been turned away from Joseph. He is loved for the honorable man that he was and for his role as a prophet of Jesus Christ. His greatest legacy as a Prophet, in my opinion, is the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Christ, which is held in ever increasing respect by those who read it and follow its teachings. Those who read it sincerely and pray about it come to know with the heart and the mind that Joseph was a prophet of God. After being mocked for 150 years by enemies of the Church, the Book of Mormon stands stronger than ever, with many thinkers - including some non-LDS scholars - being impressed and moved not only by the text but also by the intellectual evidences of authenticity. In fact, long before the prophecies in March of 1839 now recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants, Joseph prophesied that he and his fellow prisoners would not be killed. On the morning of November 3, 1838, after Joseph had been arrested and while he and other prisoners were on the road to Independence under the watch of guards, he told his brethren to be of good cheer, for "the word of the Lord came to me last night that ... whatever we may suffer during this captivity, not one of our lives shall be taken" (Dona Hill, Joseph Smith: The First Mormon, Doubleday and Company, Garden City, NY, 1977, p. 244). But there was little reason for such optimism at the time. In fact, his enemy, General Lucas, whose troops had taken Far West and who seemed gleeful about the Extermination Order, had just told the Saints, "As for your leaders, do not think - do not imagine for a moment - do not let it enter your minds that they will be delivered, or that you will see their faces again, for their fate is fixed - their die is cast - their doom is sealed" (Hill, p. 243, citing History of the Church, Vol. 3, pp. 202-204). But Joseph and his companions survived and returned, as prophesied. The survival of these men was more than improbable; it was miraculous. Hyrum Smith, in a courtroom affidavit, testified of one miracle associated with their survival at this time. As the group was being taken to Jackson County, where they were supposedly going to be executed, "two large wagons drove up, and we were ordered to get into them. While we were getting into them, there came up four or five men armed with guns, who drew up and snapped their pistols at us in order to kill us. Some flashed in the pan, and others only snapped, but none of their guns went off. They were immediately arrested by several officers. . . ." (Lucy Mack Smith, History of Joseph Smith by His Mother, ed. S.F. Proctor and M.J. Proctor, Salt Lake City, Utah: Bookcraft, 1996, p. 384.) The Saints to Escape Enemies Within 5 Years In February 1844, when persecution in Illinois had become severe once again, Joseph "prophesied that within five years we should be out of the power of our old enemies, whether they were apostates or of the world; and told the brethren to record it, that when it comes to pass they need not say they had forgotten the saying." This is recorded in History of the Church , Vol. 6, p. 225. By 1849, the Saints were gathered in Utah (the first wave entered the Salt Lake area in July of 1847) and had indeed escaped the power of their old enemies. The Stephen A. Douglas Prophecy On May 18, 1843, Joseph Smith made a specific prophecy to the politician Stephen A. Douglas which later proved to be surprisingly accurate, though it seemed wild before its fulfillment. The prophecy relating to Judge Stephen A. Douglas occurred on the 18th of May, 1843. The following text is taken from the daily Journal of William Clayton (the private secretary of President Smith, who was present at the interview described) as reported by B. H. Roberts, Comprehensive History of the Church, Vol. 2, Ch. 51, p.182 ff. Prophecy Upon The Head Of Judge Stephen A. Douglas May 18th, 1843:--Dined with Judge Stephen A. Douglas, who is presiding at court. After dinner Judge Douglas requested President Smith to give him a history of the Missouri persecution, which he did in a very minute manner for about three hours. He also gave a relation of his journey to Washington city, and his application in behalf of the saints to Mr. Van Buren, the president of the United States, for redress, and Mr. Van Buren's pusillanimous reply--'Gentlemen, your cause is just, but I can do nothing for you;' and the cold, unfeeling manner in which he was treated by most of the senators and representatives in relation to the subject, Clay saying, 'You had better go to Oregon,' and Calhoun shaking his head solemnly, saying, 'It's a nice question--a critical question; but it will not do to agitate it.' The judge listened with the greatest attention, and then spoke warmly in deprecation of Governor Boggs and the authorities in Missouri, who had taken part in the extermination, and said that any people that would do as the mobs of Missouri had done ought to be brought to judgment; they ought to be punished. President Smith, in concluding his remarks, said that 'if the government, which receives into its coffers the money of citizens for its public lands, while its officials are rolling in luxury at the expense of its public treasury, cannot protect such citizens in their lives and property, it is an old granny anyhow, and I prophesy in the name of the Lord of Israel, unless the United States redress the wrongs committed upon the saints in the state of Missouri and punish crimes committed by her officers, that in a few years the government will be utterly overthrown and wasted, and there will not be so much as a potsherd left, for their wickedness in permitting the murder of men, women and children and the wholesale plunder and extermination of thousands of her citizens to go unpunished, thereby perpetrating a foul and corroding blot upon the fair fame of this great republic, the very thought of which would have caused the high-minded and patriotic framers of the Constitution of the United States to hide their faces with shame. Judge, you will aspire to the presidency of the United States; and if you ever turn your hand against me or the Latter-day Saints, you will feel the weight of the hand of the Almighty upon you; and you will live to see and know that I have testified the truth to you; for the conversation of this day will stick to you through life.'. . . Following recitation of Clayton's journal entry, B.H. Roberts goes on to describe how the prophecy was published long in advance of its fulfillment and how it was later fulfilled (Roberts, pp. 184-189): Time Of The Publication Of The Prophecy This prophecy was first published in Utah, in the Deseret News of September 24th, 1856; it was afterwards published in England, in the Millennial Star, February, 1859. In both instances it is found in the "History of Joseph Smith," then being published in sections in those periodicals. It is a matter of common knowledge that Stephen A. Douglas, after the publication of this prediction, did aspire to the presidency of the United States, and was nominated for that office by the Democratic Convention, held in Baltimore on the 23rd of June, 1860. When in the convention he was declared the regular nominee of the Democratic party, "The whole body rose to its feet, hats were waved in the air, and many tossed aloft; shouts, screams, and yells, and every boisterous mode of expressing approbation and unanimity, were resorted to." Bright Prospects For Mr. Douglas When Mr. Douglas first began to aspire to the presidency, no man in the history of American politics had more reason to hope for success. The political party of which he was the recognized leader, in the preceding presidential election had polled 174 electoral votes as against 122 cast by the other two parties which opposed it, and a popular vote of 1,838,169 as against 1,215,798 votes for the two parties opposing. It is a matter of history, however, that the Democratic party in the election of 1860 was badly divided; and factions of it put candidates into the field with the following result: Abraham Lincoln, candidate of the Republican party, was triumphantly elected. He received 180 electoral votes; Mr. Breckenridge received 72 electoral votes; Mr. Bell 39; and Mr. Douglas 12. "By a plurality count of the popular vote, Mr. Lincoln carried 18 states; Mr. Breckenridge 11; Mr. Bell 3; and Mr. Douglas one--Missouri! Twenty days less than one year after his nomination by the Baltimore Convention, while yet in the prime of manhood--forty-eight years of age--Mr. Douglas died at his home in Chicago, a disappointed, not to say heart-broken man. The . . . Cause Of [Douglas'] Failure Though it may be regarded somewhat as a digression here, let us now inquire into the relations between the prophecy and Mr. Douglas' failure to become president of the United States. Fourteen years after the interview containing the prophecy with which we are dealing, and about one year after the prophecy had been published in the Deseret News, Mr. Douglas was called upon to deliver a speech in Springfield, the capital of Illinois. His speech was delivered on the 12th of June, 1857, and published in the Missouri Republican of June 18th, 1857. It was a time of much excitement throughout the country, concerning the "Mormon" church in Utah. Falsehoods upon the posting winds seemed to have filled the air with the most outrageous calumny. Crimes the most repulsive murders, robberies, rebellion and high treason were falsely charged against its leaders. It was well known that Mr. Douglas had been on terms of intimate friendship with President Joseph Smith, and was well acquainted with the other church leaders. He was therefore looked upon as one competent to speak upon the "Mormon" question, and was invited to do so in the speech to which reference is here made. Mr. Douglas responded to the request. He grouped the charges against the "Mormons" which were then passing current, in the following manner: "First, that nine-tenths of the inhabitants are aliens by birth who have refused to become naturalized, or take the oath of allegiance, or do any other act recognizing the government of the United States as the paramount authority of the territory of Utah. "Second, that the inhabitants, whether native or alien born, known as 'Mormons' (and they constitute the whole people of the territory) are bound by horrible oaths and terrible penalties to recognize and maintain the authority of Brigham Young, and the government of which he is the head, as paramount to that of the United States, in civil as well as in religious affairs; and they will in due time, and under the direction of their leaders, use all means in their power to subvert the government of the United States, and resist its authority." Mr. Douglas based his remarks upon these rumors against the saints, in the course of which he said: "Let us have these facts in an official shape before the president and congress, and the country will soon learn that, in the performance of the high and solemn duty devolving upon the executive and congress, there will be no vacillating or hesitating policy. It will be as prompt as the peal that follows the flash--as stern and unyielding as death. Should such a state of things actually exist as we are led to infer from the reports--and such information comes in an official shape--the knife must be applied to this pestiferous, disgusting cancer which is gnawing into the very vitals of the body politic. It must be cut out by the roots and seared over by the red hot iron of stern and unflinching law. * * * Should all efforts fail to bring them [the Mormons] to a sense of their duty, there is but one remedy left. Repeal the organic law of the territory, on the ground that they are alien enemies and outlaws, unfit citizens of one of the free and independent states of this confederacy. "To protect them further in their treasonable, disgusting and bestial practices would be a disgrace to the country--a disgrace to humanity--a disgrace to civilization, and a disgrace to the spirit of the age. Blot it out of the organized territories of the United States. What then? It will be regulated by the law of 1790, which has exclusive and sole jurisdiction over all the territory not incorporated under any organic or special law. By the provisions of this law, all crimes and misdemeanors, committed on its soil, can be tried before the legal authorities of any state or territory to which the offenders shall be first brought to trial and punished. Under that law persons have been arrested in Kansas, Nebraska, and other territories, prior to their organization as territories, and hanged for their crimes. The law of 1790 has sole and exclusive jurisdiction where no law of a local character exists, and by repealing the organic law of Utah, you give to the general government of the United States the whole and sole jurisdiction over the territory." Douglas' Lost Opportunity I shall so far anticipate historical events, which, if a chronological order were strictly followed, would belong to a later period of our narrative, as to say that the speech of Mr. Douglas was of great interest and importance to the people of Utah at the time it was made. Mr. Douglas had it in his power to do them a great service because of his personal acquaintance with Joseph Smith and the great body of the "Mormon" people in Utah, as well as their leaders; for he had known both leaders and people in Illinois, and those whom he had known in Illinois constituted the great bulk of the people in Utah when he delivered his Springfield speech. He knew that the reports carried to the east by vicious and corrupt men were not true. He knew that these reports in the main were but a rehash of the old, exploded charges made against Joseph Smith and his followers in Missouri; and he knew these Missouri reports to be false by many evidences furnished him by Joseph Smith in the interview of the 18th of May, 1843, and by the "Mormon" people at sundry times during his association with them at Nauvoo. He had an opportunity to befriend the innocent; to refute the calumny cast upon a virtuous community; to speak a word in behalf of the oppressed; but the demagogue triumphed over the statesman, the politician, over the humanitarian; and to avoid popular censure, which doubtless he feared befriending the "Mormon" people would bring to him, he turned his hand against them with the result that he did not destroy them but sealed his own doom. In fulfillment of the words of the prophet, he felt the weight of the hand of the Almighty upon him--Mr. Douglas failed of his dearest ambition, the presidency of the United States, and on the 3rd of June, 1861, he died. All The Elements Of A Great Prophecy In The Douglas Incident It was impossible for any merely human sagacity to foresee the events foretold in this prophecy. Stephen A. Douglas was a bright but comparatively an unknown man at the time of the interview, in May, 1843. There is and can be no question about the prophecy preceding the event. It was published, as before stated, in the Deseret News of the 24th of September, 1856, about one year before the Douglas speech at Springfield, in June, 1857; and about four years before Douglas was nominated for the presidency by the Baltimore Democratic Convention. Moreover a lengthy review of Mr. Douglas' speech was published in the editorial columns of the Deseret News in the issue of that paper for September 2nd, 1857, addressed directly to Mr. Douglas, the closing paragraph of which is as follows:-- "In your last paragraph [of the Springfield speech] you say 'I have thus presented to you plainly and fairly my views of the Utah question.' With at least equal plainness and with far more fairness have your views now been commented upon. And inasmuch as you were well acquainted with Joseph Smith, and this people, also with, the character of our maligners, and did know their allegations were false, but must bark with the dogs who were snapping at our heels, to let them know that you were a dog with them; and also that you may have a testimony of the truth of the assertion that you did know Joseph Smith and his people and the character of their enemies (and neither class have changed, only as the saints have grown better and their enemies worse); and also that you may thoroughly understand that you have voluntarily, knowingly, and of choice sealed your damnation, and by your own chosen course have closed your chance for the presidential chair, through disobeying the counsel of Joseph which you formerly sought and prospered by following, and that you in common with us, may testify to all the world that Joseph was a true prophet, the following extract from the history of Joseph Smith is again printed for your benefit, and is kindly, recommended to your careful perusal and most candid consideration." Then follows the account of the interview between Joseph Smith and Mr. Douglas as recorded in the Journal of William Clayton, as published in the Deseret News a year before Mr. Douglas' Springfield speech, and as now quoted in this History. Also it should be remembered that the above editorial in the Deseret News boldly challenging Mr. Douglas on the matter of the presidency, preceded by three years the election of 1860. This was boldly challenging Mr. Douglas. He raised his hand against the followers of Joseph Smith, despite the warning of the Prophet; and his people in the chief organ of their church, reproduced the prophecy and told him that he had sealed his doom and closed his chance for the presidential chair through disobeying the counsel of the Prophet; and this three years before the election took place. The presidential election of 1860, and the death of Mr. Douglas in the prime of life the year following, tell the rest of the story. It may be that dwelling at such length upon this incident I have wandered from the direct line of the historical development of the history of the Latter-day Saints, but this remarkable prophecy, its no less remarkable fulfillment, and the deep interest of it must be my justification. I have nothing further to do with the career or character of Mr. Douglas than pointing out the remarkable fulfillment of a prophecy which demonstrates the divine inspiration of the man who uttered it. Now the events concerning Mr. Douglas clearly fulfilled prophecy, but what about Joseph's prophecy of the government being overthrown? In modern American usage, "government" typically refers to the entire system of governing a nation, so we tend to imagine national anarchy when we someone speaks of our government being overthrown. But "government" can also refer to the political party in control or to the group of officers in power. In Britain, for example, "the government" is frequently dissolved and changed, meaning that the party in power changes, without genuine anarchy or disruption of the method of governing. Was Joseph Smith predicting utter chaos and the loss of our Constitutional form of government? I doubt it, for he had also prophesied elsewhere that our Constitution would be preserved, even though it would be endangered in the future. If we take his words to mean that the ruling powers in the country at the time would be overthrown, then that part of the prophecy has been fulfilled, as Woody Brison notes (personal communication, Nov. 1997): You have documented nicely the fulfillment of the part about Stephen A. Douglas, but what about the part about the government? . . . [I]t turns out this prophecy also was fulfilled. "The government" at that time was essentially identical to the Whig party, which was totally vanquished in the elections of the 1850's and 60's and ceased to exist about that time. A Prediction of Destruction in Jackson County, Missouri The excerpt below is taken from B. H. Roberts, New Witnesses for God , Vol. 1, p. 298: The following prophetic incident is given upon the authority of Mr. Leonidas M. Lawson, now of New York City, formerly a resident of Clay county, Missouri, and a brother-in-law of General Doniphan. "In the year 1863," says Mr. Lawson, "I visited General A. W. Doniphan at his home in Liberty, Clay county, Missouri. This was soon after the [Civil War] devastation of Jackson county, Missouri under what is known as 'Order No. 11.' This devastation was complete. Farms were everywhere destroyed, and the farm houses were burned. During this visit General Doniphan related the following historical facts and personal incidents." Then follows in Mr. Lawson's account a recital of the treatment meted out to the Saints in Missouri from the time of their first arrival in 1831, to their expulsion, including recitals of the personal relations of General Doniphan and Joseph Smith, including the following incident which occurred during the Prophet's imprisonment in Liberty jail: "On one occasion General Doniphan caused the sheriff of the county to bring Joseph Smith from the prison to his law office, for the purpose of consultation about his defense. During Smith's presence in the office, a resident of Jackson county, Missouri, came in for the purpose of paying a fee which was due by him to the firm of Doniphan & Baldwin, and offered in payment a tract of land in Jackson county. "Doniphan told him that his partner, Mr. Baldwin, was absent at the moment, but as soon as he had an opportunity he would consult him and decide about the matter. When the Jackson county man retired, Joseph Smith, who had overheard the conversation, addressed General Doniphan about as follows: "'Doniphan, I advise you not to take that Jackson county land in payment of the debt. God's wrath hangs over Jackson county. God's people have been ruthlessly driven from it, and you will live to see the day when it will be visited by fire and sword. The Lord of Hosts will sweep it with the besom of destruction. The fields and farms and houses will be destroyed, and only the chimneys will be left to mark the desolation.' "General Doniphan said to me that the devastation of Jackson county forcibly reminded him of this remarkable prediction of the Mormon Prophet. . . . In a letter from Mr. A. Saxey of Spanish Fork, Utah to Mr. Junius Wells treating further of the fulfillment of this prophecy, so well attested, Mr. Saxey under date of August 25, 1902 says: "In the spring of 1862 my regiment went south, and it was during that time that "Order No. 11" was issued, but I was back there again in 1864, during the Price raid, and saw the condition of the country. The duty of executing the order was committed to Colossians W. R. Penick's regiment, and there is no doubt but that he carried it into effect, from the howl the copperhead papers made at the time. I went down the Blue river, we found houses, barns, outbuildings, nearly all burned down, and nothing left standing but the chimneys which had, according to the fashion of the time, been built on the outside of the buildings. I remember very well that the country looked a veritable desolation." Condemned to Execution, Joseph Prophesies of Deliverance In the fall of 1838, mobs from Missouri rampaged the LDS settlement of Far West and several LDS leaders, including Joseph Smith, were captured, brutally torn from their families. Falsely accused of murder and other crimes, they were condemned to be shot in the presence of their families and the Saints. A militia officers, General Doniphan, opposed the planned murder of the prisoners to be murdered and declared he would not allow his men to witness it. The other officers were then afraid to take responsibility for the execution, but sought instead to take them to Independence, Jackson County, to have them executed for the alleged crimes under less risky circumstances. As the journey began, the prospects for the captives looked grim. B.H. Roberts reports (New Witnesses for God , Vol.1, p.295): Amidst the proud boasts of their captors, who brutally told their heart-broken families and the Saints that they had seen the last of their Prophet, a start was made with the prisoners for Independence, Jackson County. The prospects of the betrayed men were most desperate. They were in the hands of a reckless mob whose hatred of them was intense. There was little respect at the time for law in the state. In the language of General Clark (Commander-in-Chief of the mob-militia of the state, then assembled at Far West) addressed to the Saints, their fate seemed fixed, their die cast, their doom sealed. The start for Independence was made on the 2nd of November; the following morning, after spending a most wretched night, encamped on the banks of Crooked River, Joseph Smith spoke to his fellow-prisoners in low but cheerful and confident tones, and uttered this prophecy: "Be of good cheer, brethren, the word of the Lord came to me last night that our lives should be given us, and that whatever we may suffer during this captivity, not one of our lives should be taken." "Of this prophecy," says Elder Parley P. Pratt, "I testify in the name of the Lord, and though spoken in secret, its public fulfillment and the miraculous escape of each of us is too notorious to need my testimony." Though his death had been ordered and seemed certain, now that he had fallen into the hands of his enemies, Joseph's prophecy was fulfilled. Praise to the name of General Alexander W. Doniphan, who refused to carry out the execution order. Read more about this incident on my page about Missouri and the 1838 "Mormon War". Prediction of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon In March of 1829, Joseph Smith received a revelation about the need to have three witnesses to see the gold plates that he was about to translate. The revelation is recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 5:11-13: 11 And in addition to your testimony, the testimony of three of my servants, whom I shall call and ordain, unto whom I will show these things, and they shall go forth with my words that are given through you. 12 Yea, they shall know of a surety that these things are true, for from heaven will I declare it unto them. 13 I will give them power that they may behold and view these things as they are; Joseph then asked three men to go with him and pray for the promised divine manifestation. Oliver Cowdery, Martin Harris, and David Whitmer went with him and prayed. They then described this experience: The Testimony of Three Witnesses Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come: That we, through the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, have seen the plates which contain this record, which is a record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites, their brethren, and also of the people of Jared, who came from the tower of which hath been spoken. And we also know that they have been translated by the gift and power of God, for his voice hath declared it unto us; wherefore we know of a surety that the work is true. And we also testify that we have seen the engravings which are upon the plates; and they have been shown unto us by the power of God, and not of man. And we declare with words of soberness, that an angel of God came down from heaven, and he brought and laid before our eyes, that we beheld and saw the plates, and the engravings thereon; and we know that it is by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, that we beheld and bear record that these things are true. And it is marvelous in our eyes. Nevertheless, the voice of the Lord commanded us that we should bear record of it; wherefore, to be obedient unto the commandments of God, we bear testimony of these things. And we know that if we are faithful in Christ, we shall rid our garments of the blood of all men, and be found spotless before the judgment-seat of Christ, and shall dwell with him eternally in the heavens. And the honor be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, which is one God. Amen. OLIVER COWDERY DAVID WHITMER MARTIN HARRIS These men never denied their testimony of the Book of Mormon, even though some left the Church and would have had ample reason and opportunity to expose a fraud, if it had been one. To the day of their deaths, they remained true to the testimony recorded above and were adamant about the reality of what they experienced. A detailed review of their story and the significance of their testimony is offered by Richard L. Anderson in his article, The Book of Mormon Witnesses. Joseph had prophesied of the manner and nature of the testimony that the three witnesses would receive before the event occurred. The Prophetic Book of Mormon No other evidence of Joseph Smith's divine calling is more worthy of consideration and more powerful than the Book of Mormon . There are many things in that volume which seemed laughable in 1830 but which have become highly plausible or even verified in the twentieth century. Some of the many evidences for the Book of Mormon should be considered as prophecies fulfilled. For example, the Book of Mormon describes a journey through the Arabian Peninsula that offers substantial information that was unavailable to scholars until recently. It gives specific directions for the journey that prove to be about the only plausible path that could have been taken, names a specific ancient burial site (Nahom) in the right place, and describes a lush, green, mountainous site on the eastern coast - Bountiful - with details that were laughable until a few years ago, when an entirely plausible site was found in the right place, as described in the Book of Mormon. The apparent discoveries of Nahom (Nehem) and excellent candidates for Bountiful (Wadi Sayq being one) should give pause to anyone who quickly dismisses Joseph Smith as a fraud. The Prophetic "Word of Wisdom" Section 89 of the Doctrine and Covenants contains a revelation given to Joseph Smith in 1833 known as the Word of Wisdom. It outlines principles of healthy living that go far beyond the scientific knowledge of the 1800s and much of this century. For example, it prohibits tobacco as being harmful to man - something which was not proven by science until this century. Alcoholic beverages are also prohibited, as is black tea and coffee (the "hot drinks" of his day). Positive statements are made about the importance of wheat and other grains, along with other produce. Meat is not prohibited, but should be used "sparingly" and primarily in times of winter or need. The 1833 dietary guidelines sound much like the recommended "food pyramid" produced by federally-funded research in the past decade. The revelation also says that the health principles in it were given to warn us and protect us from the "evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days." I see that as a prophetic statement of the terribly evil role that the U.S. tobacco industry continues to play. Through its use of clout and money, they continue to receive federal support for tobacco farmers and continue to legally market a product that brings death to over 400,000 Americans each year - at a time when we ban or regulate numerous other products if injury to only a few people is threatened. Prophetic Miracles Involving Newel K. Whitney The following examples of Joseph's prophetic gifts were related by Orson F. Whitney in the April 1912 General Conference Report, pp. 50-51 (also see History of the Church, Vol. 1, p. 146, and LDS Biographical Encyclopedia, Vol.1, p.222): Six months after the Church was organized, Oliver Cowdery, Parley P. Pratt, and other Elders started upon a mission to the Lamanites; and, coming to Kirtland, in northern Ohio, they preached the Gospel there, and gathered into the fold quite a number, among them Edward Partridge, who became the first Bishop of the Church; Algernon Sidney Gilbert, Frederick G. Williams, Sidney Rigdon, and my grandfather, Newel K. Whitney, with his wife, Elizabeth Ann Whitney. These disciples, hearing that the Church would probably move westward, began to pray for the coming of the Prophet. I have heard my grandmother and my father relate that when the Prophet came to Kirtland he drove in a sleigh and halted in front of the mercantile store of Gilbert and Whitney. He sprang out, went into the store, walked up to the junior partner, and said: "Newel K. Whitney, thou art the man." Grandfather was astonished; he had never seen Joseph Smith till then--Joseph had never seen him with his natural eyes--and he answered: "Stranger, you have the advantage of me; I could not call you by name, as you have me." And the stranger then said: "I am Joseph, the Prophet. You have prayed me here. Now, what do you want of me?" By what power did this remarkable man, Joseph Smith, recognize one whom he had never before seen in the flesh? Why did not Newel K. Whitney recognize him? It was because Joseph Smith was a seer, a choice seer; he had actually seen Newel K. Whitney upon his knees, hundreds of miles away, praying for his coming to Kirtland. Marvelous--but true! Another incident in my grandfather's experience with the Prophet shows further this power of seership. In the year 1832, after Newel K. Whitney had become Bishop of Kirtland, they went down to Independence, Missouri, where Edward Partridge was Bishop in Zion, and while returning Bishop Whitney met with a serious accident. The coach upon which they were traveling had a runaway. The Prophet leaped from the coach and cleared the wheels, but the Bishop, attempting to do likewise was caught in the wheel and his leg broken in several places. As a result of this accident they were detained several weeks at Greenville, Indiana, where they put up at a public house; Elder Rigdon, their traveling companion, meanwhile going on to Kirtland. An attempt was made upon the Prophet's life by poisoning, so that he deemed it prudent to leave the place as soon as possible, and he proposed to the Bishop that they go at once. What followed is thus recorded in the History of the Church, as compiled and edited by Brother B. H. Roberts. This is the Prophet's own language: "Brother Whitney had not had his foot moved from the bed for nearly four weeks, when I went into his room, after a walk in the grove, and told him if he would agree to start for home in the morning, we would take a wagon to the river, about four miles, and there would be a ferry boat in waiting which would take us quickly across, where we would find a hack which would take us directly to the landing, where we should find a boat, in waiting, and we would be going up the river before 10 o'clock, and have a prosperous journey home. He took courage and told me he would go. We started next morning, and found everything as I had told him." (History of the Church, Vol. 1, Ch. 19, p. 272) Instances might be multiplied, if necessary. Not only by the gift of prophecy, but by the power of seer-ship, Joseph Smith was able to forecast the future. It was by that miraculous power that he saw the Father and the Son. It was by that wonderful power that he and Oliver Cowdery saw Jehovah, Moses and Elijah in the Kirtland temple; and by which also Joseph and Sidney gazed upon the glories of the celestial, terrestrial and telestial worlds. Here is an interesting event recorded in the footnotes of History of the Church, Vol. 1 (p. 146): "Mother Whitney" also tells how on a certain night prior to the advent of Elder Cowdery and his companions, while she and her husband were praying to the Lord to know how they might obtain the gift of the Holy Ghost, which of all things they desired, they saw a vision as of a cloud of glory resting upon their house, and heard a voice from heaven saying, "Prepare to receive the word of the Lord, for it is coming." Shortly afterwards Oliver Cowdery and his associates came with the Book of Mormon, and with the message of the restored Gospel. The Hearts of the Children to Turn to Their Fathers On Sept. 22, 1823, the angel Moroni quoted the Old Testament prophet Malachi and said: Behold I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers. If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming. (Joseph Smith -- History 1:38-39.) In April of 1836, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery declared that Elijah, in fulfillment of prophecy, visited them in the Kirtland Temple and gave them priesthood keys (authority) for the work of turning the hearts of the children to the father, including sacred temple work such as the sealing of families for eternity and baptism for the dead . These keys would initiate the turning of the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to their fathers. That includes genealogical research, in which the children seek out the names and histories of their fathers, and that information in turn can make ordinance work such as baptism possible for those who did not receive it while alive on the earth. Joseph Fielding Smith Jr., in Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. 2, pp.123-125, explains the significance of the prophecy that the "hearts of the children would be turned to the fathers": One of the outstanding evidences bearing witness that Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery spoke the truth, when they declared that Elijah had come to them and conferred upon them his priesthood, is the fact that since that time the hearts of the children have in a miraculous way turned towards their fathers. It might be contended with some semblance of logic that Joseph Smith and his successors could yield an influence over the members of the Church and have them go to the temples to do ordinance work for their dead, in order that the saying could go abroad that this prophecy by Malachi had been fulfilled, and the hearts of the children have turned to their fathers. It would be unreasonable to say, however, that Joseph Smith, or the entire body of the Church, could wield the power to persuade millions who are not members of the Church, also, to turn their attention towards their dead fathers; yet it is a fact that the hearts of the hearts of millions have so turned, since the proclamation of the coming of Elijah in 1836. . . . Before the year 1836 there was very little, if any, research being made anywhere in this world in behalf of the dead. It is true that here and there some man may have been searching out a genealogical record, but what was his object? To prove title to some estate. There were no genealogical societies; there were no genealogical organizations; there were no genealogical researches of any systematic character anywhere in the world. That is significant, is it not? What do we discover now? One year after this revelation was given and these keys were bestowed, we find in Great Britain the government passing laws compelling the preservation of duplicate records of the dead on the part of those who kept them. This is a significant fact, one link that points in the direction of the truth of the statement of the Prophet Joseph Smith. It did not occur the year before this vision. In the year 1844, the year of the martyrdom, the first organization for the purpose of gathering together the records of the dead, and compiling genealogical records, was formed in the city of Boston. It was the New England Historical and Genealogical Society. In 1869, in the city of New York, another society, the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, was organized. [I believe England had a genealogical society founded in 1836 - J.L.] Since that day societies have sprung up all over the land. There are hundreds of them along the Atlantic border. The state of Massachusetts is full of them. We find the same thing in Virginia, in the Carolinas, and along the Atlantic Coast from Maine to Georgia, where the first settlements in this country were made. The hearts of the children have since that day turned to their fathers, and they are searching out the records of their dead. Today genealogical research has swept many lands. The LDS archives in Salt Lake City comprise the largest set of genealogical records in the world. The prophecies delivered to Joseph about the hearts of the children to the fathers began to be fulfilled after Elijah came. Prediction of Stakes in Boston and New York In spite of the Church having been driven from New York and the Eastern United States, Joseph predicted that New York City and Boston would one day have stakes (Church organizations comprising multiple congregations). He said, "In the great cities, as Boston, New York, etc., there shall be stakes" (History of the Church, Vol.6, p. 319). On Dec. 9, 1934, the New York Stake was organized. The Boston Stake was organized May 20, 1962. (See Gilbert W. Scharffs,The Truth About "The God Makers," Publishers Press, Salt Lake City, 1986, p. 397.) Joseph Predicts His Death The last item written by Joseph Smith in his journal is an entry from Saturday, June 22, 1844, now recorded in History of the Church, Vol. 6, p. 546: I told Stephen Markham that if I and Hyrum were ever taken again we should be massacred, or I was not a prophet of God. Shortly thereafter he and Hyrum were placed in Carthage Jail and then murdered by a mob. Others who were with them survived the attack, but Joseph and his brother were killed, as predicted. Fifteen years earlier in 1829, Joseph received a revelation that hinted at his future murder. Doctrine and Covenants 5:22 urges Joseph to be faithful, "and if you do this, behold I grant unto you eternal life, even if you should be slain." Dan Jones to Serve a Mission in Wales The night before Joseph Smith was killed, as a captive in Carthage Jail, he prophesied that Dan Jones, whose life was clearly at risk, would survive to serve a mission in Wales. That event is recorded in History of the Church, Vol. 6, p. 601: Soon after Dr. Richards retired to the bed which Joseph had left, and when all were apparently fast asleep, Joseph whispered to Dan Jones "are you afraid to die?" Dan said, "Has that time come, think you? Engaged in such a cause I do not think that death would have many terrors." Joseph replied, "You will yet see Wales, and fulfill the mission appointed you before you die." Joseph was right. Dan's life was spared the next day. Later that year, in August of 1844, he went to Wales in company with Wilford Woodruff and gave great impetus to missionary work in that land. His work led to the conversion of many hundreds of people. Further, he started the first foreign-language magazines for the Church, publishing a magazine in the Welsh language beginning in 1846. According to an article on "International Magazines" in the Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Vol. 2, "Dan Jones edited and published thirty-two issues of Prophwyd y Jubili, Neu Seren y Saints (Prophet of Jubilee, New Star of Saints), filled with doctrinal and historical articles, messages from Church leaders, and replies to attacks from antagonists of the Church. Other [non-English] magazines followed." Sidney Rigdon to Be a Spokesman In Doctrine and Covenants 100:9-11, Joseph recorded a revelation indicating that "you, my servant Sidney, should be a spokesman unto this people; yea, verily, I will ordain you unto this calling, even to be a spokesman unto my servant Joseph... and he shall be a revelator unto thee...." Not only was this prophecy well fulfilled by the mighty role played by Sidney Rigdon in leading the Church and speaking for Joseph, but it also fulfilled a prophecy recorded in the Book of Mormon. In 2 Nephi 3:17-20, Nephi recorded a prophecy from Joseph of Egypt about a future Joseph through whom scriptures and divine law would be brought forth. This Joseph was to have a spokesman: "I will make for him a spokesman." The spokesman was to declare revelations given to Joseph. This describes well the role of Sidney, who acted as a spokesman on many occasions and who received revelations from Joseph. Healing and Prophecy with the Johnsons in Kirtland In Kirtland, Joseph Smith made friends with a local resident, John Johnson. The Johnsons and several others visited Joseph at his home in 1831. Mrs. Johnson had been ill for years with a lame arm. It made her unable, for example, to lift her hand above her head. One of the group asked Joseph if God had given any man power to heal Mrs. Johnson. A non-member of the Church records what followed: A few moments later, when the conversation had turned in another direction, Smith rose, and walking across the room, taking Mrs. Johnson by the hand, said in the most solemn and impressive manner, "Woman, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I command thee to be whole,' and immediately left the room. The company was awe-stricken at the infinite presumption of the man, and the calm assurance with which he spoke. The sudden mental and moral shock - I know not how better to explain the well-attested fact - electrified the rheumatic arm - Mrs. Johnson at once lifted it up with ease, and on her return home the next day she was able to do her washing without difficulty or pain. (A.S. Hayden, Early History of the Disciples in the Western Reserve, Ohio, Chase and Hall, Cincinnati, 1876, p. 250, as cited by Duane S. Crowther, The Prophecies of Joseph Smith, Bookcraft, Salt Lake City, 1963, p. 221) Several in the Johnson family were baptized into the Church, and it was in the Johnson home where Joseph received the glorious vision and revelation of the kingdoms of heaven recorded in Doctrine and Covenants, Section 76. One of the Johnson sons, Olmstead, was less than valiant and refused the Gospel. In 1832 when Olmstead returned from a journey to the Johnson home, Joseph made this prophecy to Olmstead in 1832: "I told him if he did not obey the Gospel, the spirit he was of would lead him to destruction and when he went away, he would never return or see his Father again" (History of the Church, 1:260). Olmstead did not repent, but later left on a journey to the south, including Mexico, and then back to the U.S. where he became ill in Virginia and died without seeing his family again (ibid.). Escape of Stephen Markham Duane S. Crowther in The Prophecies of Joseph Smith, (Bookcraft, Salt Lake City, 1963, pp. 328-9) describes a prophecy Joseph made while Joseph was held captive in Missouri, awaiting trial. Stephen Markham was to be a witness for Joseph, but was beaten by a guard, whom Markham resisted successfully. Then other mobsters joined the fray. Markham managed to get away, but his life was clearly in danger. Other witnesses had been threatened and driven off (see the discussion of the Richmond Hearing on my page about Missouri). The night after these events, a vision was given to Joseph: During this night the visions of the future were opened to my understanding; when I saw the ways and means and near approach of my escape from imprisonment, and the danger that my beloved Brother Markham was in. I awoke Brother Markham, and told him if he would rise very early and not wait for the judge and lawyers, as he had contemplated doing, but rise briskly, he would get safe home, almost before he was aware of it; and if he did not the mob would shoot him on the way; and I told him to tell the brethren to be of good cheer, but lose no time in removing from the country. (History of the Church Volume 3, p. 316) The next morning Brother Markham escaped as prophesied. Mobbers pursued him, but were not able to capture or harm him. And Joseph, was we have already discussed, was later freed, as prophesied. Apostles to Depart from Far West on 26 April 1839 During the turmoil of 1838 in Missouri and in Kirtland, the Quorum of the Twelve became somewhat chaotic. Joseph sought revelation from God on the activities of the Twelve and received in return the revelation in Section 118 of the Doctrine and Covenants, received July 8, 1838: Next spring let them depart to go over the great waters, and there promulgate my gospel, the fulness thereof, and bear record of my name. Let them take leave of my saints in the city of Far west on the twenty-sixth day of April next, on the building spot of my house, saith the Lord. Persecution soon drove the saints out of Far West, while Joseph was imprisoned under inhumane conditions. Many saints were killed. Fulfilling the Lord's instructions at that time seemed impossible. In fact, enemies of the Church learned of this revelation and were determined to keep it from happening. Mob members in Far West declared that any Mormons showing up in that town near the assigned date would be murdered. In spite of such threats, the members of that Quorum managed to enter Far West just after midnight on the morning of the 26th of April, where they laid the cornerstone for the temple, ordained two new apostles and other officers, sang a hymn, had a prayer, and then departed in accordance with the instructions they had from the Lord. Isaiah 11 about to be fulfilled? When asked to offer his most powerful example of an allegedly failed prophecy from Joseph Smith, one critic of the Church pointed to a statement about Isaiah 11 made by Joseph Smith, quoting the angel Moroni. Here is his accusation: Let us begin this parade.... Sept. 21, 1823. Joseph Smith says in Pearl of Great Price, [History of ] Joseph Smith 2:40, that Moroni told him that Isaiah 11 was "about to be fulfilled." Isaiah 11:6-11 prophesies that the wolf and the lamb, the calf and the lion, etc. shall dwell in peace together, and that nothing will "hurt or destroy" and that the earth shall be "full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." (don't add your example of the "lion" and the "lamb" unless you have ones to cover a "wolf" or a "calf" too.) FULFILLMENT: None of this has yet come to pass. Thanks for the note. By the way, Isaiah 11 is a prophecy about many things that would occur before and after the return of Christ. To say that it is about to be fulfilled is like saying that the Second Coming of Christ is about to happen - and we stand firmly behind that prophecy. It hasn't been fulfilled yet, but in the Lord's timetable, it will happen in this era, shortly after the time of Joseph Smith, and even many Christians agree that we are in the time span in which the Second Coming is a real possibility - that the Second Coming is "about" to occur. Could be another 50 or 100 years, but we're still at the door of this great event. How can Is. 11 be cited as the best example of an incorrect prophecy when there has not been sufficient time for its fulfillment but when numerous indications associated with its future fulfillment are coming to pass? While Isaiah 11 speaks of Christ as the Branch and rod of Jesse in verses 1 to 4, it also speaks of a "root of Jesse" - another person also descended from Jesse - who would establish an ensign that would bring in the Gentiles and play a role in the gathering of scattered Israel (verse 10-12). This could very well be Joseph Smith. The restored Church of Jesus Christ truly is an ensign that has been sought out by many of the Gentiles and that is seeking out the scattered remnants of Israel and bringing them back into the covenants of the Lord. This part has already been fulfilled. Miscellaneous Others A variety of other fulfilled prophecies could be cited. Over forty are listed on a page at FAIRLDS.org, "Samples of Prophecies of Joseph Smith that Have Been Fulfilled." One example involves the miraculous survival of Willard Richards at Carthage Jail on June 27, 1844: Dr. Richards' escape was miraculous; he being a very large man, and in the midst of a shower of balls, yet he stood unscathed, with the exception of a ball which grazed the tip end of the lower part of his left ear. His escape fulfilled literally a prophecy which Joseph made over a year previously, that the time would come that the balls would fly around him like hail, and he should see his friends fall on the right and on the left, but that there should not be a hole in his garment (HC 6:619). Of the four Latter-day Saint men in that jail when the mob attacked and murdered Joseph Smith, Willard Richards was the only one of the four who was not shot. Summary Joseph never claimed to be infallible, and no prophet is. He may have been surprised and frustrated by the delayed fulfillment of some prophecies, such as the establishment of Zion in Missouri, which has yet to come. But those who knew him well knew that he was a prophet of God, and those who have examined carefully the prophetic Book of Mormon or Doctrine and Covenants or Pearl of Great Price will find abundant evidence of heavenly inspiration. Even in small things we see Joseph acting as a prophet and seer. Newel Whitney, for example, in 1832, had been sick and in bed for four weeks. Donna Hill reports what followed (Joseph Smith: The First Mormon, Doubleday and Company, Garden City, NY, 1977, pp. 148-149): "Joseph announced to him one day that if he would agree to start the next morning, they would take a wagon to the river and at once find a ferry to carry them across where a hack [carriage] would be waiting. The hack would take them to the landing where they could board a boat and be traveling up the river before ten o'clock. It all transpired just as Joseph predicted, and they reached home speedily and safely in a very short time." The scriptures Joseph left us must be given special emphasis in determining his status as a prophet. Hearsay, newspapers, and records written long after the alleged events may appear to show false prophecies, but those sources are much less reliable and useful as a standard than the canonized writings we have, where the claim of prophetic influence is to be taken seriously. The Word of Wisdom and the Civil War prophesy from the Doctrine and Covenants both demand attention - and respect, for they, like the other scriptures given through Joseph, are prophetic indeed.

Verily, thus saith the Lord: It is wisdom in my servant David W. Patten, that he settle up all his business as soon as he possibly can, and make a disposition of his merchandise, that he may perform a mission unto me next spring, in company with others, even twelve including himself, to testify of my name and bear glad tidings unto the world. (Doctrine & Covenants 114:1) This prophecy was made on April 17, 1838. David W. Patten died in October of 1838 and thus never went on a mission the following spring. President Smith then stated that the meeting had been called, because God had commanded it; and it was made known to him by vision and by the Holy Spirit. . . . it was the will of God that they should be ordained to the ministry and go forth to prune the vineyard for the last time, for the coming of the Lord, which was nigh — even fifty six years should wind up the scene. (History of the Church, Vol. 2, page 182). This prophecy was spoken by Joseph Smith in 1835, and recorded by Oliver Cowdery. The fifty-six years were passed by 1891. I prophecy in the name of the Lord God of Israel, unless the United States redress the wrongs committed upon the Saints in the state of Missouri and punish the crimes committed by her officers that in a few years the government will be utterly overthrown and wasted, and there will not be so much as a potsherd left for their wickedness in permitting the murder of men, women and children, and the wholesale plunder and extermination of thousands of her citizens to go unpunished (History of the Church, Vol. 5, page 394). Joseph Smith made this prophecy in May 6, 1843. However, the United States Government did not redress any of the wrongs committed against the Mormons in Missouri, and now over 150 years later, the U.S. Government still stands. While discussing the petition to Congress, I prophesied, by virtue of the holy Priesthood vested in me, and in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that, if Congress will not hear our petition and grant us protection, they shall be broken up as a government, and God shall damn them, and there shall be nothing left of them — not even a grease spot. (Millennial Star, Vol. 22, p. 455. See also History of the Church (HC), vol. 6, p. 116, though when this prediction was incorporated into the official history, Mormon Church leaders decided to leave out the "grease spot" part.) The petition was not heard nor was protection granted (Deseret News, Vol. 1, p. 59). Yet, Congress was never broken up and continues to function to this day. It is interesting that the compilers of History of the Church, added an editorial note in an attempt to soften or explain this prophecy. They state that: "This prediction doubtless has reference to the party in power; to the ‘government’ considered as the administration;" (note, p. 116). According to the note in HC, this means the Democratic Party, which was in control at the time. However, the prediction is that "Congress shall be broken up as a government" and Congress is made up of representatives from both parties. The Saints were making an appeal to the General Government, not to the Democratic Party, a point made by a summary statement in the left margin beside this prophecy as it is recorded in HC. Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Salem, Massachusetts, August 6, 1836. HC 2:465-466. At this time the leaders of the [LDS] Church were heavily in debt due to their labors in the ministry. 1. I, the Lord your God, am not displeased with your coming this journey, notwithstanding your follies. 2. I have much treasure in this city for you, for the benefit of Zion, and many people in this city, whom I will gather out in due time for the benefit of Zion, through your instrumentality. 3. Therefore, it is expedient that you should form acquaintance with men in this city, as you shall be led, and as it shall be given you. 4. And it shall come to pass in due time that I will give this city into your hands, that you shall have power over it, insomuch that they shall not discover your secret parts; and its wealth pertaining to gold and silver shall be yours. 5. Concern not yourselves about your debts, for I will give you power to pay them. No treasure was ever discovered, nor did Salem ever fell into the hands of the Mormons. And now I am prepared to say by the authority of Jesus Christ, that not many years shall pass away before the United States shall present such a scene of bloodshed as has not a parallel in the history of our nation; pestilence, hail, famine, and earthquake will sweep the wicked of this generation from off the face of the land, to open and prepare the way for the return of the lost tribes of Israel from the north country. The people of the Lord, those who have complied with the requirements of the new covenant, have already commenced gathering together to Zion, which is in the state of Missouri; therefore I declare unto you the warning which the Lord has commanded to declare unto this generation, remembering that the eyes of my Maker are upon me, and that to him I am accountable for every word I say, wishing nothing worse to my fellow-men than their eternal salvation; therefore, "Fear God, and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment is come." Repent ye, repent ye, and embrace the everlasting covenant and flee to Zion, before the overflowing scourge overtake you, for there are those now living upon the earth whose eyes shall not be closed in death until they see all these things, which I have spoken, fulfilled (History of the Church, Vol. 1, pp. 315-316). Such a widespread destruction of the wicked of that generation never occurred. This prophecy comes directly from Doctrine & Covenants Section 84, the introduction of which states: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, September 22 and 23, 1832. HC 1:286-295. 1. A revelation of Jesus Christ unto his servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and six elders, as they united their hearts and lifted their voices on high. 2. Yea, the word of the Lord concerning his church, established in the last days for the restoration of his people, as he has spoken by the mouth of his prophets, and for the gathering of his saints to stand upon Mount Zion, which shall be the city of New Jerusalem. 3. Which city shall be built, beginning at the temple lot, which is appointed by the finger of the Lord, in the western boundaries of the State of Missouri, and dedicated by the hand of Joseph Smith, Jun., and others with whom the Lord was well pleased. 4. Verily, this is the word of the Lord, that the city New Jerusalem shall be built by the gathering of the saints, beginning at this place, even the place of the temple, which temple shall be reared in this generation. 5. For verily this generation shall not all pass away until an house shall be built unto the Lord, and a cloud shall rest upon it, which cloud shall be even the glory of the Lord, which shall fill the house. The Mormons were forced to flee Missouri due to persecution and a temple was never built on the "temple lot" in the lifetime of Joseph Smith or within the generation of his contemporaries. Over the last 200 years a number of people have claimed to be religious prophets with special spiritual authority from God. These include Charles Taze Russell (Jehovah’s Witnesses), Ellen G. White (Seventh-day Adventists), Mary Baker Eddy (Christian Science), and Joseph Smith (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). Each started an organization which claimed to be the one true Christian Church, each had unique teachings, and each appealed to the Bible to some degree as their basis for spiritual authority. Yet, each "prophet’s" teachings contradict those of the others. Jesus warned in Matthew 7:15 that many false prophets would come, and several other places warn us about false prophets and spiritual deception (2 Corinthians 11:4-15; Galatians 1:6-9; 1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Peter 2:1-3; 1 John 4:1 and Jude 3-16). We should not be surprised, therefore, to discover that there are false prophets in the world today. A specific biblical test. The Bible, in Deuteronomy chapters 13 and 18, provides 2 tests for anyone claiming to be a prophet and speak for God. If the person fails either test given by God, then we can know for sure they are a false prophet and we are to reject their teaching. Here we will focus on the test found in Deuteronomy 18:21-22 which reads as follows: And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him. Here the God of Israel tells his people how they can keep from being deceived by someone claiming to be a prophet — if even one of the prophet’s prophecies do not come true he is a false prophet. What was the punishment if a prophet did speak a false prophecy? According to verse 20 the prophet was to die. So God takes the area of false prophecy very seriously. Joseph Smith's false prophecies in the name of the Lord constitute one of the single greatest objections to his claim to be a latter-day prophet of God. There you go, if you get one wrong you are a false prophet, so what is your rebutle now?

If one scoffs at the missionary's explanation of the Book of Mormon, he is in so many words claiming it to be false: That it is a deceiving fraud formulated through the efforts and talents of a common man. What is produced by one man can always be duplicated by another. The challenge that the Book of Mormon makes to the world is that of duplication. Because the book complies with every one of the following conditions, in order to produce a similar record, one must comply with the same conditions. Here is the challenge: Can you accept it? 1. Write a history of ancient Tibet covering a period from 600 B.C. to 450 A.D. Why ancient Tibet? Because you know no more about Tibet than Joseph Smith (or anyone else) knew about ancient America. 2. You are 23 years of age. 3. You have had no more than three years of formal school education, and have spent your life in backwoods farming communities. 4. Your history must be written on the basis of what you now know. There was no library that held information for Joseph Smith. You must use none. There is to be no research of any kind. 5. Your history must be 531 pages and over 300,000 words in length. 6. Other than a few grammatical corrections, you must have no changes in the text. The first edition as you dictate it to your secretary must stand forever. 7. This record is to contain the history of two distinct and separate nations, along with histories of different contemporary nations or groups of people. 8. You must describe their religious, economic, political, and social cultures and institutions. Cover every phase of their society, including the names of their coins. 9. Change your style of writing many times. Many ancient authors contributed to the Book of Mormon, each with his own style. 10. Weave into your history the religion of Jesus Christ and the pattern of Christian living. 11. You must claim that your smooth narrative is not fiction with moral value, but true and sacred history. 12. You must include in you book fifty-four chapters dealing with wars, twenty-one historical chapters, fifty-five chapters on visions and prophecies. Remember, when you begin to write visions and prophecies, you must have your record agree meticulously with the Bible. You must write seventy-one chapters on doctrine and exhortation, and you must check every statement with the scriptures or you will be proven a fraud. You must write twenty-one chapters on the ministry of Christ, and every thing you claim he said and every testimony you write in your book about Him must agree absolutely with the New Testament. 13. Many of the facts, claims, ideas, and statements given as absolute truth in your writing must be entirely inconsistent with the prevailing beliefs of the world. Some of these worldly beliefs must be the direct opposite of your claims. 14. Included in your narrations will be authentic modes of travel; whether or not those ancient people used fire; description of their clothing, crops, mourning customs, and types of government. You must invent about 280 new names that will stand up under scrutiny through the years as to their proper application and derivation. 15. You will have to properly use figures of speech, similes, metaphors, narrations, exposition, descriptions, oratory, epic lyric, and parables. 16. You must invite the ablest scholars and experts to examine the text with care, and you must strive diligently to see that your book gets into the hands of those eager to prove it a forgery, and who are most competent to expose every flaw in it. 17. Thorough investigation, scientific and historical evidence, and archeological discovery for the next 125 years must verify its claims and prove detail after detail to be true, for many of the details you put in your history are still buried beneath the soil of Tibet. 18. You must publish it to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people declaring it to be the word of God and another witness for the Lord Jesus Christ. 19. The book must not contain any absurd, impossible, or contradictory statements. Your history must not contain any statement that will contradict any other statement elsewhere in the volume. 20. Many theories and ideas as to its origin must arise, and after discovering and examining the facts, they must fail. You have claimed that your knowledge had come from divine origin, and this claim continues to stand as the only possible explanation. The strength of this explanation must not decrease as time passes, but actually increases to the point where it becomes the only logical explanation. 21. Your record is to fulfill many Bible prophecies, even in the exact manner in which it shall come forth, to whom delivered, its purposes, and its accomplishments. 22. Call down an angel from heaven in the middle of the day and have him bear testimony to four honest, dignified citizens of your community that the record is the word of God. These witnesses must bear the angel's testimony to the world, not for profit or gain, but under great sacrifice and severe persecution, even to their death beds. You must put that testimony to the test by becoming an enemy to these men. 23. Thousands of great men, intellectual giants, national and international personalities, and scholars for 165 years must accept your history and its teachings even to the point of laying down their life rather than deny their testimony of it. 24. You must include with within the record this promise: "And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, He will manifest the truth of it unto you by the power of the Holy Ghost." 25. Missionaries must bear record to the world for the next 165 years that they know the record to be true because they put the promise to the test and found it to be true. The truth of it was manifested to them by the power of the Holy Ghost. 26. Over 52,900 plus competent salesman must be so sold on your book that they gladly give up two or more years of their lives to take it to all parts of the world for distribution. They not only pay their own way during these years, but return bearing testimony that the time spent will remain as one of the highlights of their lives. They receive nothing in return for their efforts but the joy of having shared your book with others. 27. Your book must not only raise the standards of millions of people but do it in such a way that they become one of the great moral, ethical, and dynamic marvels of the day. They must become world renowned for this. 28. For the next 20 years you must watch those that follow and you, your family, and the dearest of your loved ones persecuted, driven time after time from their homes, beaten, tortured, starved, frozen and killed. Tens of thousands must undergo the most extreme hardships in your presence just because they believe your claims concerning the origin and content of what you have written on ancient Tibet. 29. You must gain no wealth from your work, but many times lose all that you have. Like those that believe you, you must submit yourself to the most vile persecution. And finally after 20 years of this, give your own life in a very savage and brutal manner, for your testimony concerning your history book. This must be done willingly on your part. 30. Start right now and produce this record which covers 1,000 years of history, doing it, not in the peaceful atmosphere of your community, but under the most trying of circumstances which include being driven from your home several times, and receiving constant threats upon your life. Please have your book completed, talk a friend into mortgaging his farm to raise money to have it printed - all in 60 days. There is only one answer: The Book of Mormon is a divine record. If not, its origin must be stated and its claims must be explained by the critic. It isn't enough to merely discard it as false and forget about it! The first thing to do in examining any ancient text is to consider it in the light of the origin and background there is no need to look farther, since historical forgery is virtually impossible. Having read through that, you tell me, was Joseph Smith a prophet? If you believe that the book of Mormon is a divine record, then that must mean he was a prophet.

No, just read an Honest Biography about him, and read his revelations, and translation of the Book of Mormon. He was either a Prophet of God,or the greatest theologian Genius that ever lived. The most obvious to me is the first.

PROPHECIES OF JOSEPH SMITH WHICH WERE NOT FULFILLED The following prophecies made by Joseph Smith have not been fulfilled in over 150 years. They are given in approximate chronological order, except for the many Missouri prophecies, which are grouped together. PEACE AND KNOWLEDGE: Sept 21, 1823. Joseph Smith says in the Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith 2:40, that Moroni told him that Isaiah 11 was "about to be fulfilled." Isaiah 11:6-11 prophesies that the wolf and the lamb, the calf and the lion, etc. shall dwell in peace together, and that nothing will "hurt or destroy," and that the earth shall be "full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." FULFILLMENT: None of this has yet come to pass. SALE OF BOOK OF MORMON COPYRIGHT: Winter 1829-1830. Comp Hist 1:165 Joseph had a revelation that Hiram Page and Oliver Cowdery were to go to Toronto to sell the copyright of the Book of Mormon to raise money. FULFILLMENT: They went, according to the revelation, but were completely unsuccessful. Joseph Smith "inquired of God" and was told that some "revelations" are not from God. David Whitmer reports this incident in his book An Address To All Believers In Christ, Richmond, 1887, photo reprinting by Utah Lighthouse Ministry, pp 30-31. (See the comment above on the test of a true prophecy.) PRAYERS ANSWERED: September 1830. D&C 29:6. Jesus promises the Saints that "Whatsoever ye shall ask in faith... ye shall receive." (see also D&C 132:40) Joseph Smith believed firmly in this promise (see Chron JS Mar 10, 1844) FULFILLMENT: The prayers of the faithful Mormons, especially during the periods of conflict in Kirtland, Missouri, and Nauvoo undoubtedly included many requests for divine aid, victory over their enemies, and peace in their lands. Surely they asked for these things. But instead they were driven out and found no peace. This prophecy is probably failing thousands of times a day, as faithful Mormons pray. (This prophecy is just a repetition of Jesus' promise at Matt 21:22, Mark 11:24, John 14:13-14, 15:7, 16:23, and 1 John 3:22.) SAINTS GATHERED IN ONE PLACE: September 1830. D&C 29:8 God has decreed that the elect shall be gathered into one place "against the day when tribulation and desolation are sent forth upon the wicked." FULFILLMENT: The "one place" continued to change as the Mormons were driven from one temporary refuge to the next. After arriving in Utah, the Mormons viewed that as the gathering place. But the modern church apparently no longer believes in this gathering, since it encourages new converts to remain in their homelands. Tribulation and desolation have not been sent forth upon the wicked. WICKED WILL BURN, ALL PROPHECIES FULFILLED: September 1830. D&C 29:9-11. "For the hour is nigh and the day soon at hand" when the wicked will burn, all prophecies will be fulfilled, and Jesus will return for a thousand years. FULFILLMENT: This is another prophecy such as Ezekiel 12:27-28 referred to: if the hour were nigh and the day soon at hand, this surely would have been fulfilled within 160 years. By no means have all prophecies been fulfilled, and many cannot now be fulfilled. ALL NATIONS SHALL BOW: March 1831. D&C 49:9-10. The nations of the earth shall bow to the Mormon gospel or they "shall come down" and "shall be laid low of power." FULFILLMENT: None of the nations of the earth have accepted the Mormon gospel or "bowed" to it, yet none have been "laid low" because of it. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MISSOURI PROPHECIES Joseph Smith made a number of prophecies regarding Missouri as the location of Zion and the gathering place and refuge for the saints. Since they all have the same general meaning and none of them have been fulfilled, they are dealt with together here. March 7, 1831. D&C 45:64-74. Saints are to gather riches and purchase an inheritance to be called New Jerusalem, also called Zion, a place of refuge and safety, where the wicked will not come, and against which the wicked will refuse to battle. The righteous will come from all nations and sing songs of everlasting joy. The wicked will fear and stand afar off and tremble, and "all nations shall be afraid." July 1831. D&C 57:1-3 Missouri is named as the land consecrated for the gathering of the Saints and the place for the City of Zion and the building of a temple at Independence. It will be purchased by the saints "for an ever-lasting inheritance." August 13, 1831. D&C 62:1, 6. The faithful will be preserved and rejoice in Missouri. "I, the Lord, promise the faithful and cannot lie." Sept 22-23, 1832. D&C 84:2-5, 31 Zion will be built with its temple at Independence, "in this generation". This generation shall not all pass away until the temple will be built upon the spot. Orson Pratt in 1870 reiterated the prophecy (JD 9:71, 10:344, 13:362) and insisted that it will come to pass within the generation living in 1832. Jan 4, 1833. HC 1:315-316. Joseph Smith says "by the authority of Jesus Christ" that "not many years shall pass away" before the wicked "of this generation" will be swept from off the face of the land and the Lost Ten Tribes will be gathered to Missouri, and that "there are those now living upon the earth whose eyes shall not be closed in death until they see all these things, which I have spoken, fulfilled." Aug 2, 1833. D&C 97:18-20. Promise that if the saints are obedient the City of Zion (in Missouri) will prosper and become glorious, great and terrible, honored by the nations of the earth. Zion cannot fall or be moved out of its place. FULFILLMENT: Mormons were driven out of Independence and from all of their settlements in Missouri in 1839. The temple lot is not owned by the Mormon church. No one living in the generation when the prophecy was made is still alive. The wicked of that generation were no more "swept from off the face of the land" than were their contemporary Mormons. The Lost Ten Tribes have not been gathered to Missouri. Nothing in all these prophecies has been fulfilled, even though the majority of the saints steadfastly followed Joseph Smith and were faithful. Oct 12, 1833. D&C 100:13-15 Zion (Missouri) will be chastened "for a little season" but then "redeemed." Dec 10, 1833. HC 1:455. Joseph Smith tells the saints that they should retain their lands in Missouri and seek legal redress against their enemies. If they should not obtain it, God will avenge them with "ten thousand of his Saints" and all their adversaries would be destroyed. FULFILLMENT: The Mormons lost all their lands in Missouri; they did seek legal redress but were unsuccessful; their enemies were not destroyed; their wrongs were not avenged; the Mormons were driven out of Missouri. Dec 16, 1833. D&C 101:17-20 Zion (Missouri) shall not be moved out of its place; the Saints will receive their inheritance there, and there is no other place than Missouri appointed by God for the gathering of the Saints. Feb 24, 1834. D&C 103:5-7 If the Saints will hearken to the counsel of the Lord, "they shall, for I have decreed it, begin to prevail against mine enemies from this very hour... and... they shall never cease to prevail until the kingdoms of the world are subdued under my feet, and the earth is given unto the saints, to possess it forever and ever." Verse 15: "The redemption of Zion must needs come by power;" and God will raise up a man like Moses, namely Joseph Smith, who will enable them to "possess the goodly land" (v. 20). Joseph Smith is to organize Zion's Camp (a Mormon army) and relieve the distress of the Saints in Missouri. Verse 36: "All victory and glory is brought to pass unto you through your diligence, faithfulness and prayers of faith." Spring 1834. Joseph Smith prophesies to the members of Zion's Camp that "within three years they should march to Jackson County and there should not be a dog to open his mouth against them." Reed Peck Manuscript p. 3 [cited in Tanner, The Mormon Kingdom 1:4] FULFILLMENT: Zion's Camp was organized but utterly failed and it disbanded in July. Cholera decimated them and the campaign did not restore the saints to their homes. They did not return as Zion's Camp. The Mormons continued to encounter fierce opposition. The Mormons never prevailed against their enemies. (Milton R. Hunter, The Gospel through the Ages, p. 282, "Reed Peck Manuscript" p. 3; HC 3:xxxix [cited in Tanner, The Mormon Kingdom 1:4]. June 22, 1834. D&C 105:13-15. The Lord says regarding Missouri: "I will fight your battles... the destroyer I have sent forth to destroy and lay waste mine enemies; and not many years hence they shall not be left to pollute mine heritage, and to blaspheme my name upon the lands which I have consecrated for the gathering together of my saints." FULFILLMENT: The Missouri opponents of the Mormons were not destroyed, but have remained in Missouri (and "polluted" it?) The Mormons were driven out of Missouri within five years. Aug 16, 1834. HC 2:145. Joseph Smith says that the Spirit of the Lord tells him that the Saints should be ready to move into Jackson County, Missouri, on September 11, 1836, "which is the appointed time for the redemption of Zion." FULFILLMENT: If Zion was redeemed in 1836, it was unredeemed in 1839, when the Mormons abandoned Missouri. FAR WEST TEMPLE: April 26, 1838. D&C 115. Revelation concerning the city of Far West, Missouri, and the building of a temple there. God commands the temple to be built; the church will be gathered to Zion (Missouri), which will be "for a defense, and for a refuge from the storm." Work on the temple is to commence in the summer of 1838, with construction to begin April 26, 1839, with work to continue "diligently until it shall be finished, from the corner stone thereof unto the top thereof, until there shall not anything remain that is not finished." (v. 12) Verse 17: "I say unto you, it is my will that the city of Far West should be built up speedily by the gathering of my saints." FULFILLMENT: The temple cornerstone was laid, but no more work was ever done and the temple is still not completed. Far West was abandoned by the Mormons soon after this revelation. It would appear that the building of the Far West temple was not the work of God, since God's work cannot be frustrated (see D&C 3:3). LIBERTY JAIL PROPHECIES: March 20, 1839. D&C 121. This is "Prayer and Prophecies" from Joseph Smith while he was a prisoner in the jail at Liberty, Missouri. It contains several prophecies: he will be avenged of his enemies by the sword (v. 5) (this is phrased as a prayer, but God had promised Joseph Smith that his prayers would be answered; he need only ask. D&C 29:6) his friends will not charge him with transgressions (v. 10) the hopes of those who do charge him with transgression shall have their hope blasted (v. 11) God will "change the times and seasons" (v. 12) Joseph Smith's enemies will be taken "in their own craftiness" (v. 12) "not many years hence, ... [his enemies] and their posterity shall be swept from under heaven, saith God, that not one of them is left to stand by the wall." (v. 15) knowledge will be poured down from heaven upon the heads of the Mormons. FULFILLMENT: None of these prophecies came to pass. Joseph Smith's enemies were not destroyed "by the sword;" rather, the Mormons were successfully driven out of Missouri. His friends did charge him with transgressions within a few years, and those charges (in The Nauvoo Expositor) resulted directly in his arrest and destruction, as his enemies wished. God did not "change the times and seasons," whatever that may mean. In general, the enemies of the Mormons achieved their goal of driving the Mormons out and destroying Joseph Smith. Their posterity was not destroyed, but survived. At least, there is no record of the anti-Mormon Missourians being swept away. And what knowledge has been "poured down from heaven" upon the Mormons since 1839? (One might wonder why Smith spent so long in prison; according to the Book of Mormon , Mormon 8:24, faith can make prison walls tumble.)

"I will now give you a description of the manner in which the Book of Mormon was translated. Joseph would put the seer stone into a hat, and put his face in the hat, drawing it closely around his face to exclude the light; and in the darkness the spiritual light would shine. A piece of something resembling parchment would appear, and on that appeared the writing.... Thus the Book of Mormon was translated by the gift and power of God, and not by any power of man." (An Address To All Believers In Christ, by David Whitmer, Richmond, Missouri, 1887, p. 12)

Irrefutable Evidence Proving Joseph Smith was a False Prophet Was Joseph Smith a true prophet? Was Joseph Smith a false prophet? The following information will be examining what the Mormon Church teaches about Joseph Smith's priesthood and lineage. This information is not to insult, put down, or attack anyone. We are simply trying to accurately examine it for the truth. You decide for yourselves whether or not Joseph Smith is a true prophet or false prophet based upon the evidence provided. Setting The Stage The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints believes that they are the restored Church here on earth through which God has brought forth a prophet. This prophet is named Joseph Smith. He claimed that God had called him to bring back His Church in these last days and to establish the true authority of God here on the earth. Joseph Smith taught that there was a great Apostasy of the Church when the Apostles died some 1900 years ago and for over 1700 years there was no true Church of God here on earth. In 1820, Joseph Smith, being 14 years old, wanted to know which Church was right to join. While he was praying in the woods he claims God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ appeared to him. He claimed that he was told by Them to join none of them because they were all wrong because they taught the doctrines of men and they were an abomination in God's sight. (Joseph Smith History 1:16-20) Joseph Smith's testimony states that he was going to be the one to restore the true Church of God here on earth and bring God's authority (Priesthood) back. Joseph Smith was given what is called the priesthood authority in 1829 and within a year he established the Mormon Church known today as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. What exactly is the priesthood? The following references will give some light on what the priesthood is according to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. "It is nothing more nor less than the power of God delegated to man by which man can act in the earth for the salvation of the human family, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost, and act legitimately; not assuming that authority, nor borrowing it from generations that are dead and gone, but authority that has been given in this day in which we live by ministering angels and spirits from above, direct from the presence of Almighty God, who have come to the earth in our day and restored the Priesthood to the children of men, by which they may baptize for the remission of sins and lay on hands for the reception of the Holy Ghost, and by which they can remit sin, with the sanction and blessing of Almighty God." (Gospel Doctrine, page 139, Joseph Fielding Smith, 1939) "What I mean by the Holy Priesthood is that authority which God has delegated to man, by which he may speak the will of God as if the angels were here to speak it themselves; by which men are empowered to bind on earth and it shall be bound in heaven, and to loose on earth and it shall be loosed in heaven; by which the words of man, spoken in the exercise of that power, become the word of the Lord, and the law of God unto the people, scripture, and divine commands." (Gospel Doctrine, page 140, Joseph Fielding Smith, 1939) "1. Priesthood is power, the power of God, a vital source of eternal strength and energy delegated to men to act in all things for the well-being of mankind, both in the world and out of it (DS 3:80; Romney, p. 43). 2. Priesthood is authority, the exclusive right to act in the name of God as his authorized agents and to perform ordinances for the purpose of opening certain spiritual blessings to all individuals. 3. Priesthood is the right and responsibility to preside within the organizational structure of the Church, but only in a manner consistent with the agency of others. 4. Sometimes the word priesthood is used to refer to the men of the Church in general (as in "the priesthood will meet in the chapel")." (Encyclopedia of Mormonism, page 1134, 1992) According to Mormonism the priesthood is the power of God on earth to speak in His name, to teach in His name, to baptize in His name, to perform ordinances, and many other things. The Mormon Church teaches that with the ascension of Jesus to the Father and the death of the Apostles the priesthood was lost and the Church went into complete Apostasy. They teach that it was not until Joseph Smith was given the priesthood authority in 1829 and established the Church in 1830 that God's Church and authority was restored here on the earth again. This explains the importance of the priesthood authority according the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Joseph Smith's Lineage According to the Book of Mormon and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Joseph Smith is from the tribe of Ephraim or the lineage of Ephraim.. Who is Ephraim according to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints? "Ephraim was the son of Joseph and Asenath and the younger brother of Manasseh (Genesis 41:50-52)...The Book of Mormon records that Joseph of old "obtained a promise of the Lord, that out of the fruit of his loins the Lord God would raise up a righteous branch unto the house of Israel to be remembered in the covenants of the Lord" (2 Nephi 3:5). Further, a "choice seer" would arise from Joseph's descendants who would "do a work for the fruit of [Joseph's] loins, his brethren, which shall be of great worth unto them, even to the bringing of them to the knowledge of the covenants which I [the Lord] have made with thy fathers" (2 Nephi 3:7). Many Latter-day Saints believe that they are of the branch of Ephraim, of whom Joseph prophesied (2 Nephi 3:5-16; D&C 133:30-34) and that the Prophet Joseph Smith is the "choice seer" (3 Nephi 3:6)...In the last days, Ephraim's descendants have the privilege and responsibility to bear the message of the restoration of the gospel to the world and to gather scattered Israel...For Latter-day Saints, identification of a person's lineage in latter-day Covenant Israel is made under the hands of inspired Patriarchs through patriarchal blessings that declare lineage. Elder John A. Widtsoe, an Apostle, declared, "In giving a blessing the patriarch may declare our lineage-that is, that we are of Israel, therefore of the family of Abraham, and of a specific tribe of Jacob. In the great majority of cases, Latter-day Saints are of the tribe of Ephraim, the tribe to which has been committed the leadership of the Latter-day work." (Encyclopedia of Mormonism, pages 461-462, 1992) According to the Book of Mormon in 2 Nephi 3:5-15 Joseph Smith is from the loins (lineage) of the Joseph in Genesis 41:45-52, and the Latter-day Saints believe that they to are of that same lineage. Ephraim is the tribe of which the blessings of God come through according to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and it is through them that the authority has been given to preach the Gospel. (Their gospel) Why is this information important to know about? Again, the Latter-day Saints (most of them) claim to be of the tribe of Ephraim as well as what is stated concerning Joseph Smith in 2 Nephi 3:5-15 on being the one to come from the loins of Joseph. (Gen. 41:45-52) He is said to be the modern day prophet to restore God's Church and priesthood here on earth again. However, was Joseph Smith able to receive the priesthood authority? What about Latter-Day Saints before 1978 who was in the lineage of Ephraim, could they have the priesthood authority? The Mormon Church taught that people who were of the black race could not hold the priesthood authority, even those within the lineage. Restrictions on Who Can Receive the Priesthood The Latter-Day Saints teach that the priesthood of God is eternal and throughout the ages has been here on earth at various times. Prior to 1978 the priesthood was not for all people but was subject to some restrictions. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints as well as their Scriptures teach that prior to 1978 those of the Negro race (Those with black skin/dark skin) could not hold the priesthood, but that they were cursed by God. They teach that when Cain murdered his brother Abel he became (Genesis 4) cursed by God and was given black skin and from then until 1978 those who were from that lineage could not have the priesthood authority. "Since the Lord appeared unto Cain and conversed with him many times before Cain killed Abel, Cain must have held the Priesthood.9 God said unto Cain, "For from this time forth thou shalt be the father of his [Satan's] lies; thou shalt be called Perdition;"10 and the Lord cursed Cain with severe cursings. One of these cursings was a mark placed upon Cain, which mark would be carried by his posterity throughout all generations. According to the teachings of the Pearl of Great Price, this mark was a black skin." (Pearl of Great Price Commentary, Book of Abraham Chapter 1 page 140, Milton R. Hunter of the First Council of the Seventy. 1951) "But the greatest curse of all that came upon Cain and his descendants was that they were "cursed as pertaining to the Priesthood," that is, the entire lineage "could not have the right of Priesthood"...Joseph Smith identified the negroes as the descendants of Cain...Therefore it is due to the teachings of the Pearl of Great Price and the Prophet Joseph Smith and the other early leaders of the Church that the negro today is barred from the Priesthood." (Pearl of Great Price Commentary, Book of Abraham Chapter 1 page 141, Milton R. Hunter of the First Council of the Seventy. 1951) "Those who were less valiant in pre-existence and who thereby had certain spiritual restrictions imposed upon them during mortality are known to us as the negroes. Such spirits are sent to earth through the lineage of Cain, the mark put upon him for his rebellion against God and his murder of Abel being a black skin. (Moses 5:16-41; 7:8,12,22.) Noah's son Ham married Egyptus, a descendant of Cain, thus preserving the negro lineage through the flood. (Abra. 1:20-27.) Negroes in this life are denied the priesthood; under no circumstances can they hold this delegation of authority from the Almighty." (Mormon Doctrine, page 527, 1966 Edition) "In all past ages and until recent times in this dispensation, the Lord did not offer the priesthood to the Negroes. However, on June 1, 1978, in the Salt Lake Temple, in the presence of the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve, President Spencer W. Kimball received a revelation from the Lord directing that the gospel and the priesthood should now go to all men without reference to race or color." (Mormon Doctrine, page 527, 1979 Revised Edition) "According to the book of Abraham (now part of the Pearl of Great Price), the descendants of Cain were to be denied the priesthood of God (Abr. 1:23-26)." (Encyclopedia of Mormonism, page 125) These references are from Mormon resources which explain why blacks (Negroes) could not have the priesthood because they were in the lineage of Cain. All those who are in the lineage of Cain (Blacks, Negroes, Egyptians) could not hold the priesthood according to the book of Abraham 1:20-27. But in 1978, according to the Mormon Church, God gave the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints a new revelation granting the priesthood authority to all races without prejudice to color or linage. (Official Declaration 2) It is interesting to note that the book 'Mormon Doctrine' prior to 1978 stated that Negroes under no circumstances could not hold the priesthood since they were from the lineage of Cain (1966 Edition), but in the 1979 Revised Edition it was changed and those comments were taken out. All this information has a specific purpose for seeing the big picture concerning Joseph Smith and the claims of him being the one to restore God's Church and authority (priesthood) back on earth. The following will reveal that Joseph Smith according to the Pearl of Great Price, the Bible, and other references that Joseph Smith could of not had the priesthood at all. Simply stated, Joseph Smith couldn't be a true prophet of God since he did not even have the right to preach or teach anything because he did not have the priesthood. (Their priesthood) Joseph Smith Did Not Have the Priesthood The purpose of all this information is to give the evidence concerning Joseph Smith's testimony as to whether or not he was a true latter-day prophet of God. What has been shared so far is the claims of Joseph Smith being a latter-day prophet to restore God's Church and authority (priesthood) on earth again, and the things that pertained to what the priesthood is and those who could not hold it. This section of information will demonstrate that Joseph Smith could not have had the priesthood (Their priesthood) to teach, preach or be a true latter-day prophet. The Book of Abraham 1:20-27 declares that all those who were in the lineage of Cain could not have the priesthood and spoke of those who were cursed through the lineage of Ham and his wife Egyptus. Those who could not hold the priesthood are Negroes, Egyptians, Ethiopians and all those who were from the lineage of Ham and Egyptus. "20 Behold, Potiphar’s Hill was in the land of Ur, of Chaldea. And the Lord broke down the altar of Elkenah, and of the gods of the land, and utterly destroyed them, and smote the priest that he died; and there was great mourning in Chaldea, and also in the court of Pharaoh; which Pharaoh signifies king by royal blood. 21 Now this king of Egypt was a descendant from the loins of Ham, and was a partaker of the blood of the Canaanites by birth. 22 From this descent sprang all the Egyptians, and thus the blood of the Canaanites was preserved in the land. 23 The land of Egypt being first discovered by a woman, who was the daughter of Ham, and the daughter of Egyptus, which in the Chaldean signifies Egypt, which signifies that which is forbidden; 24 When this woman discovered the land it was under water, who afterward settled her sons in it; and thus, from Ham, sprang that race which preserved the curse in the land. 25 Now the first government of Egypt was established by Pharaoh, the eldest son of Egyptus, the daughter of Ham, and it was after the manner of the government of Ham, which was patriarchal. 26 Pharaoh, being a righteous man, established his kingdom and judged his people wisely and justly all his days, seeking earnestly to imitate that order established by the fathers in the first generations, in the days of the first patriarchal reign, even in the reign of Adam, and also of Noah, his father, who blessed him with the blessings of the earth, and with the blessings of wisdom, but cursed him as pertaining to the Priesthood. 27 Now, Pharaoh being of that lineage by which he could not have the right of Priesthood, notwithstanding the Pharaohs would fain claim it from Noah, through Ham, therefore my father was led away by their idolatry;" What does that have to do with Joseph Smith? The following information will demonstrate that Joseph Smith could not of had the priesthood according to what the Mormon scholars have written, the Standard Works, and other Bible sources. "45 And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnath-paaneah. And he gave him Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah, priest of On, for his wife. And Joseph went out over the land of Egypt...50 And two sons were born to Joseph before the years of famine came, whom Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bore to him. 51 And Joseph called the name of the first-born Manasseh, saying, For God has made me forget all my toil and all my father's house. 52 And the name of the second he called Ephraim, saying, For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction." (Genesis 41:45&50-52 KJV) Joseph Smith is said to be from the lineage of Ephraim and Ephraim is the son of Joseph and Asenath. Joseph was a Hebrew man and Asenath was a Egyptian woman. Therefore, Manasseh and Ephraim were both half Hebrew and half Egyptian. Looking at the text it is clear that Asenath was an Egyptian woman because her father was Potipherah who was an Egyptian priest of the city called On, which was the major place of Egyptian worship unto the sun-god. This information is validated by many scholarly works. Therefore, since Asenath was an Egyptian woman, the only conclusion that can be attained is that all those who come through the lineage of Ephraim will be included the lineage that was cursed from being able to have the priesthood. "ASENATH [AS ih nath] the Egyptian wife of Joseph and the mother of Manasseh and Ephraim (Gen. 41:45, 5052; 46:20). Asenath was the daughter of Poti-Pherah, priest of On. Pharaoh himself may have arranged the marriage between Joseph and Asenath to help Joseph adjust to life in Egypt" (Nelsons Bible Dictionary - Asenath) "ON - An ancient city of Lower Egypt in the Nile Delta on the east bank of the Nile River, about 31 kilometers (19 miles) north of Memphis and about 10 kilometers (6 miles) northeast of Cairo. Because On was the principal seat of the cult of Ra whose devotees worshiped the sun-god, the Greeks called the city Heliopolis, or "City of the Sun" (Is. 19:18, NRSV)... Asenath, the Egyptian wife of Joseph, was the daughter of Poti-Pherah, a priest of On (Gen. 41:45, 50; 46:20)." (Nelsons Bible Dictionary - City of On) "On-"It was at On that Joseph wooed and won the dark-skinned Asenath, the daughter of the high priest of its great temple." (Easton's Bible Dictionary - City of On) "On - Egyptian place name meaning, "city of the pillar," called in Greek Heliopolis or "city of the sun" and in Hebrew as Beth-shemesh, "city of the sun" (Jer. 43:13) and Aven. It was the cult center for the worship of the sun-god, Ra (Atum)...Joseph's Egyptian wife came from On (Gen.41:45), her father serving as priest in the temple there." (Holman Bible Dictionary - City of On) "Potiphera - an Egyptian, priest of On, father of Asenath, the wife whom Pharaoh gave to Joseph." (King James Hebrew Old Testament Lexicon & Strongs online, #6319) "On - city in lower Egypt, bordering land of Goshen, center of sun-worship, residence of Potipherah (priest of On and father-in-law of Joseph)" (Kings James Hebrew Old Testament Lexicon & Strongs, #204) These sources validate that Asenath was an Egyptian woman and that her father was an Egyptian priest of the Egyptian city called On. What is important to note about these sources is when they were done they were not written in response to prove Joseph Smith or the Mormon Church wrong, but to give accurate information on people, places, and other things according to Biblical history. The following references will prove beyond any doubt that this information is accurate. "Pharaoh's claim to the priesthood was invalid, because he insisted with great force that it was the patriarchal priesthood of Noah, received through the line of Ham. (Abr. 1:25-27; above, pp. 133f.) His earthly rule was blessed (Abr. 1:26), but he could not, of course, claim patriarchal lineage through his mother." (Hugh Nibley, Abraham In Egypt 1981, pages 188-189) "Whom did Joseph marry? He married Asenath, and this takes us right into the Book of Mormon. Asenath had two sons, you know. One of them was Manasseh, and the Book of Mormon tells us that Lehi was a direct descendant of Manasseh. The other was Ephraim of whom we claim to be descendants. They were the sons of this Asenath who was the daughter of the high priest of Heliopolis. Here is the Delta which goes immediately up here along the coast. Here is the Red Sea down here. But the Delta goes here. At the base of the Delta is Memphis, and here is Cairo. Out toward the airport of Cairo is Heliopolis. That's the On of the Bible. This is the most sacred, the most ancient, the most enduring shrine in the whole ancient world. This is the great sun center of all mankind...Joseph married Asenath, who was the daughter of the high priest of Heliopolis and a direct descendant of Ham. And we are descendants of Ephraim, while Lehi's people are descendants of Manasseh." (Hugh Nibley, Teachings of the Book of Mormon - Semester 1: Transcripts of Lectures Presented to an Honors Book of Mormon Class at Brigham Young University, 1988-1990 Provo: Foundation for Ancient Re 20. vol.1, p.20) "Lehi was a descendant of Manasseh, who was half Egyptian. His mother was Asenath, who was of the blood of Ham, a pure Egyptian. She had to be-her father was a high priest of Heliopolis. [Lehi] was a descendant of Manasseh whose twin brother was Ephraim. We claim that we are descended from him. He was also a son of Asenath, the Egyptian woman." (Hugh Nibley, Teachings of the Book of Mormon - Semester 1: Transcripts of Lectures Presented to an Honors Book of Mormon Class at Brigham Young University, 1988-1990 Provo: Foundation for Ancient Re 309. vol. 2, p.309) Hugh Nibley, who is considered to be one of the most gifted scholars of the Latter-Day Saints today, clearly proves that the information concerning Asenath being an Egyptian woman is accurate and is not anti-Mormon. From the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies known as FARMS which is an institute of Brigham Young's University for the Study and Preservation of Ancient Religious Texts states the following concerning Hugh Nibley: "One of the most gifted scholars in the LDS Church today. He graduated summa cum laude from UCLA and completed his Ph.D. as a University Fellow at UC Berkeley. He taught at Claremont College in California before serving in military intelligence in World War II. Since 1946 he has been associated with and taught at Brigham Young University." Hugh Nibley stated that Pharaoh could not of held the priesthood because he was in the lineage of Ham. This is shown in what the book of Abraham 1:20-27 states concerning the lineage of Ham and Egyptus being cursed and those in it could not hold the priesthood. Hugh Nibley confirms this information being true and goes on to state that Asenath was an Egyptian woman and from the lineage of Ham. He also states that Lehi is a descendant of Manasseh who was half Egyptian and that Asenath was pure Egyptian, thus proving that Ephraim is also half Egyptian. Hugh Nibley states that those in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are descendants of Ephraim and that his mother was an Egyptian woman married to Joseph. All this information validates the fact that Joseph Smith and all those who claim to be from the lineage of Joseph or Asenath's two sons (Manasseh and Ephraim) could not of had the priesthood before 1978 because the law of God was not yet changed and that this was effective for all those living before 1978. By what has been shown, Joseph Smith could of not held the priesthood prior to 1978 because he was of that lineage that was cursed and could not hold the priesthood. Former Mormon prophet (10th President) Joseph Fielding Smith said the following concerning this topic: "If Abraham, Joseph, and Moses had married Negro wives their descendants would have been denied the priesthood according to the word of the Lord to Abraham. Had such a thing happened the Lord would not have called Israel as a chosen people, neither would he have chosen the Prophet Joseph Smith and given him the keys of authority for the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times, as he was a descendant of Joseph and of Abraham." (Smith, Joseph Fielding. Answers to Gospel Questions. vols. 1-4. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1957-1966, page 169) There was a question to whether or not Abraham, Joseph, and Moses had married Negroes and this former Mormon prophet stated that if they had done this their descendants would of been denied the priesthood, and if that did happen then even Joseph Smith would of been denied the priesthood. Joseph Fielding Smith validates the facts by his comments concerning Joseph Smith because the Joseph in Genesis 41:45-52 did have an Egyptian wife and thus Joseph Smith did not have the keys of authority for the Dispensation of the Fullness of times because he was a descendant of Joseph. Abraham and Moses according to the Bible married Negro women. Abraham had an Egyptian woman named Hagar as his concubine (secondary wife) and Moses had an Ethiopian woman for his wife. "And Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar her slave woman, the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife (after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan)." (Genesis 16:3 KJV) "And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had taken. For he had taken a Cushite woman." (Numbers 12:1 KJV) "And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan." (Genesis 10:6 KJV) Abraham married Hagar an Egyptian woman and Moses married a Cushite (Ethiopian, descendants from Ham), thus they would of been denied the priesthood authority according to Mormon theology before 1978. Joseph Smith was not a true prophet The evidence is irrefutable and anyone who is willing to examine this will see that Joseph Smith was a false prophet. Since Joseph Smith was a false prophet then by logical conclusion the so called restored Church he organized is not of God. If you having any questions or comments concerning any of this information, or other questions concerning the Latter-Day Saints, or things on Christianity and knowing Jesus Christ personally and being set free from all your sins then please let us know. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION It has been brought to my attention that I forgot some viable information concerning my research that has been presented thus far. It was not that I was not aware of these issues it was that I forgot to have this information for people to read. There are some who state the information that I have shared is not accurate and their reasoning is very illogical and un-factual. There are some Mormons who attempt to prove Joseph Smith as being able to have this so called Melchezidec priesthood authority. The foundation for their argument is as follows. During the time of Joseph in Egypt there were Hyksos kings ruling Egypt Joseph was not under an Egyptian Pharaoh Asenath was not truly Egyptian All of these points that Mormons use to contend with our information falls short very fast. Many Mormons point to the Hyksos as their escape goat. Who were the Hyksos? When did they exist? How does this relate to the information I have shared? First off the Hyksos were various rulers who lived during a time where Egypt was divided with many kings ruling the lands. The Hyksos were ruling in the time frame of 1700 BC to 1550 BC. Mormons state that the Pharaoh over Joseph would of been one of these Hyksos kings, therefore they insist Asenath would then not be an Egyptian. Consider the following. 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, [there is] no one as discerning and wise as you. 40 "You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you." 41 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt." 42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring off his hand and put it on Joseph's hand; and he clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. 43 And he had him ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried out before him, "Bow the knee!" So he set him over all the land of Egypt. 44 Pharaoh also said to Joseph, "I [am] Pharaoh, and without your consent no man may lift his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt." 45 And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnath-Paaneah. And he gave him as a wife Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On. So Joseph went out over [all] the land of Egypt. 46 Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt. (Genesis 41:39-46 KJ) The Bible shows historically that during the time of Joseph and the Pharaoh above him there was only one ruler over all of Egypt. During the time frame of the Hyksos there were many rulers and kings that divided Egypt. If Joseph was under a Hyksos ruler then one would have to rewrite Genesis 39-50, any takers? Biblically it is clear Joseph was under one Pharaoh who ruled all of the land of Egypt thus disproving the un-factual comebacks through LDS believers. As stated before the time frame of the Hyksos was in the range of 1700 BC to 1550 BC, however it has been shown historically Joseph was born around 1900 BC, with Abraham around 2100 BC. Check this out. 26 So Joseph died, [being] one hundred and ten years old; and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt. (Genesis 50:26 KJ) This demonstrates the inconsistency of what Mormons are attempting to state which in the end has no proof. Back to the information in the article, respected LDS scholar Hugh Nibley states clearly that Asenath was an Egyptian woman. All one has to do is look at the time frame of the Hyksos with the time frame of Abraham, Joseph, and read what Genesis 39-50 clearly states concerning there only being one Pharaoh ruling the land of Egypt to see the evidence stands. There are some sites out there that LDS attempt to point to but each time they fall short of the simplicity of this issue. Historically and Biblically Joseph lived and ruled during an Egyptian Pharaoh that ruled all of Egypt.

I personally think so.

"Every word of God is pure:He is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him. Add not to His words, lest He reprove thee, and thou be found a liar." (Proverbs 30:5-6) The Bible is God's word. He has protected it. We are to trust Him, and not add scripture to His word. His gospel is pure, and whole, in the Bible. The LDS gospel, and scripture, has been added to God's word. They have taken upon themselves the task of perfecting the Lord's word. Saying it is not complete without their revelations and scripture. Another verse: "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that we have preached unto you, let him be accursed."(Galatians 1:8) The LDS church, claims this very thing! That an angel from heaven, brought them this new gospel! A gospel that differs from the Bible .This is how I look at it, Mormons have a great fantastical story, or gospel, to back up their "feelings" where as Christians, have the "Spirit" to back up their proven religion

Ask God. Pray about it.

I believe he was.

"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." (Matthew 7:15 KJ) "6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any [man] preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." (Galatians 1:6-9 KJ)

"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." (Matthew 7:15 KJ) "6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any [man] preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." (Galatians 1:6-9 KJ)

2Cor11 [13] For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. [14] And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. [15] Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

That all depends on your beliefs, whether you choose the status quo as declared by the Mormon church, or the actual history of the Mormon religion itself as declared by the Smithsonian Institute.

i think if you genuinely would like to know - as in you are looking into the Church, then you need not ask such a question on AB, because you are going to get opinionated positive, neutral and negative answers which will not really help you any. as with the teaching of the Church and what i also believe, you must sincerely pray (to God through Christ) to find out the truth. it can be guaranteed that this truth that will be revealed to you will b the truth with no way of challenging it. again, if you are looking into the Church, as you read the Book of Mormon, pray about it to know if it is true and if Joseph Smith, as well as all those after him were true prophets.

Plain and simple, NO. He was nothing more than a man who started his own cult religion.

Is someone looking to pick a fight with the LDS? lol j/k good question. First of all, do you believe in prophets (deliverers of God's words)? If so, then how do you test one? Do you use the criterium found in Christianity? Islam? Then you must test the prophet against the belief system or code. Take the Christian Bible, for instance. The teaching found in the first half of this book (the Old Testament) claims that a prophet must be 100% accurate. No wiggle room. (after all, the God of the Bible is rather big and His word is a serious matter) So, to offer my humble opinion based off of this code and my own studies of Mormonism, I would say yes. Joseph Smith's words and teachings have been changed multiple times by his own successors (other so called prophets) In addition to this, Smith states in the Book of Mormon, that terrible, WORLDWIDE signs would happen within his own lifetime. Now, we did see two world wars relatively soon after the Book was put to print, but they were well after his death. No other WORLDWIDE signs were seen in that timespan.

Seriously though, Kelly, are you trying to pick a fight? I mean, all your ?'s deal with LDS presidents. Not that I am one, and not that its not fair to question the Church, but do you have any other hobbies?

Yup! But a false one. He added to the bible when it says not to. He also predicted things that never came true, the bible says these men are false prophets.

It is quite a tall tale to believe in. Simply put I do not believe what happened to him. I'm not convinced nor impressed with this New York native.

He was just not a prophet in general.

just as holy as L ron Hubbard..... yeah.

not to his followers but to the rest of the world yes *edit* since this question got moved my original answer was that joseph smith was not a false prophet to his followers but to the rest of the world they believe he was

It depends on whether or not you are a Mormon. If you are a Bible-believing Christian, you would have to say yes, as Jesus was God's supreme revelation, and there would be nothing significant added to the teachings he left with his apostles between then and His second coming.

No, he was not.

No, I don't believe he was, and neither does the mormon church apparantly. The entire religion is based upon the word of Joseph Smith, yet beliefs that he had (example: polygamy) are now not supported by the Mormon church. So, if the religion is based off of his word, but the mormon church picks and chooses what to follow, then in my mind that pretty much proves that the religion is a false one. Plus the fact that none of his prophesies have come true. But the mormons can keep their chins up, make a general enough statement like he did, eventually over time chances are that it will come true, if only for 5 minutes. The downfall of the United States? Ya think? The U.S. is an empire, and this statement was made during the time when the U.S. was expanding greatly and becoming said empire. Every empire has fallen, and so will the U.S. someday. But that's not a prophesy, that's just paying attention to history. Not that it really matters. As far as I'm concerned, if you believe in God, Allah, Goddess or Joe Pesci and you do your best to be a good person, treat your neighbors the way you'd like to be treated and don't damn the holy spirit, then I don't believe that you have anything to worry about in the hereafter. And those "feelings" mormons are so proud to talk about is called the holy spirit. That's what God sends to you when you truly pray to him and believe, regardless of which book you think is the true one. If you feel those "feelings" are reserved solely for believers of your religion (regardless of which one it is,) and that God will damn anyone not of your particular belief structure, then you have a sad need to feel better than others. That kind of elitism is pathetic in my opinion. So go ahead and get defensive. DR me if you feel that is what you need to do. I have stated my opinion and am not damning anybody or trying to hurt anyone's feelings. But please do what you want to do because points on this website could mean less to me and the childish tirades of overly defensive people are nothing short of amusing.

"I prophesy in the name of the Lord God of Israel, unless the United States redress the wrongs committed upon the Saints in the state of Missouri and punish the rimes committed by her offcers that in a few years the government will be utterly overthrown and wasted, and there will not be so much as a potsherd left." Joseph Smith History of the Church volume 5, page 394 May 18, 1843 I don't believe this happened :)

According to the Bible, which is a fundamental piece of Mormon theology, Joseph Smith was a false prophet. Deuteronomy 18:21-22: "21 You may say to yourselves, "How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD ?" 22 If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him." If even one prophecy of a prophet proves false, then that prophet is a false prophet. 1. "'President Smith then stated that the meeting had been called, because God had commanded it; and it was made known to him by vision and by the Holy Spirit. . . . it was the will of God that they should be ordained to the ministry and go forth to prune the vineyard for the last time, for the coming of the Lord, which was nigh — even fifty six years should wind up the scene.' (History of the Church, Vol. 2, page 182). This prophecy was spoken by Joseph Smith in 1835, and recorded by Oliver Cowdery. The fifty-six years were passed by 1891." (taken from http://www.irr.org/mit/jsfalpro.html) There are other proven false prophesies at this website and many others.

A prophet is defined a one, who all he says is true. There are at least a million contradictions Joseph Smith has made. There is your answer.

This is a question designed to pick a fight...for either side to get their point across. HOWEVER, this IS an excellent question. This is the question that all who encounter Mormonism must ask themselves. I find Joseph Smith's account of his life and experiences to be quite credible. I am a very logical man. I look at things as if I were a criminal investigator, logical breaking everything down. Their were too many people that surrounded Joseph Smith who encountered many amazing experiences with him. Yes, some of them later left the Church, but none of them EVER revoked their testimonies of what happened to them and what they experienced. Many of them were filled with pride and were used to the corrupt churches of that time, where it was all about money and power. Many of them who left the Church wanted power and money. When Joseph Smith refused over and over to make the Church like all the others (for profit), they got prideful and left the Church. But amazingly, throughout their lives they had many chances to renounce what they had previously said they saw and experienced...only they never did. Almost all of them later came back to the Church once they repented. You can call Joseph Smith whatever you want (although "dansergrrl" comparing Joseph Smith to L Ron Hubbard makes me sick), but I know what I know. And I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God. Those who surrounded him, again even those that left the Church, none of them denied what they experienced. That is too many people involved to try and say that Joseph Smith was a liar. Saying Joseph Smith didn't experience what is said to have happened is like saying the Holocaust didn't happen. There is NO WAY that the Holocaust was a lie...no way. WAY TOO many people involved. Joseph Smith did see God the Father and Jesus Christ. He was led to the Book of Mormon and tranlated it through the gift and power of revelation from God. Under the direction of Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith organized the true Church upon the earth today. In my eyes, everything is consistent. There is no way he was lying. When I was investigating the Church, I found that everything the "Church" told me was completely true, but everything that anti-mormon stuff said was either a blatant lie, half-truth, or taken out of context and twisted to fit their point of view. I spent so long investigating the Church. I read Church materials, anti-material, and un-biased/indifferent materials. I read anything and everything I could get my hands on. I talked to so many people. I have found that the Church doesn't lie about doctrines or their history (even though I am well aware people try to claim they do)...I have never had the Church tell me not to read something, or to stop digging. But I have had tons of anti-mormons tell me not to read the BOM, or anything published by the Church b/c it will brainwash me. I know Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and the prophet of this the final dispensation. I have read, deeply pondered, and with real intent prayed about it over and over, and have received an answer time and time again that this is the true Church, the BOM is from God, and Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. So, no Joseph Smith was NOT a false prophet.

You obviously believe so.

This is a question designed to pick a fight...for either side to get their point across. HOWEVER, this IS an excellent question. This is the question that all who encounter Mormonism must ask themselves. I find Joseph Smith's account of his life and experiences to be quite credible. I am a very logical man. I look at things as if I were a criminal investigator, logical breaking everything down. Their were too many people that surrounded Joseph Smith who encountered many amazing experiences with him. Yes, some of them later left the Church, but none of them EVER revoked their testimonies of what happened to them and what they experienced. Many of them were filled with pride and were used to the corrupt churches of that time, where it was all about money and power. Many of them who left the Church wanted power and money. When Joseph Smith refused over and over to make the Church like all the others (for profit), they got prideful and left the Church. But amazingly, throughout their lives they had many chances to renounce what they had previously said they saw and experienced...only they never did. Almost all of them later came back to the Church once they repented. You can call Joseph Smith whatever you want (although "dansergrrl" comparing Joseph Smith to L Ron Hubbard makes me sick), but I know what I know. And I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God. Those who surrounded him, again even those that left the Church, none of them denied what they experienced. That is too many people involved to try and say that Joseph Smith was a liar. Saying Joseph Smith didn't experience what is said to have happened is like saying the Holocaust didn't happen. There is NO WAY that the Holocaust was a lie...no way. WAY TOO many people involved. Joseph Smith did see God the Father and Jesus Christ. He was led to the Book of Mormon and tranlated it through the gift and power of revelation from God. Under the direction of Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith organized the true Church upon the earth today. In my eyes, everything is consistent. There is no way he was lying. When I was investigating the Church, I found that everything the "Church" told me was completely true, but everything that anti-mormon stuff said was either a blatant lie, half-truth, or taken out of context and twisted to fit their point of view. I spent so long investigating the Church. I read Church materials, anti-material, and un-biased/indifferent materials. I read anything and everything I could get my hands on. I talked to so many people. I have found that the Church doesn't lie about doctrines or their history (even though I am well aware people try to claim they do)...I have never had the Church tell me not to read something, or to stop digging. But I have had tons of anti-mormons tell me not to read the BOM, or anything published by the Church b/c it will brainwash me. I know Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and the prophet of this the final dispensation. I have read, deeply pondered, and with real intent prayed about it over and over, and have received an answer time and time again that this is the true Church, the BOM is from God, and Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. So, no Joseph Smith was NOT a false prophet.

"Anonymous" said that "A prophet is defined a one, who all he says is true"...umm, have you honestly not read the Bible. So much of Christianity today has all these ideals that are honestly so inconsistent with the Bible. Show me a verse in the Bible that says that a prophet is one who all he says is true. The Bible is quite clear that no one...again, I will repeat it in case you missed that...NO ONE, is perfect except for the Savior Jesus Christ. Have you not read the Book of Jonah in the Old Testament?!? I have heard countless preachers and ministers refer to Jonah as a prophet of God. That is because he was a prophet of God. Ever heard the phrase actions speak louder than words? Well, God told Jonah to go to Nineveh to cry repentance to the people. Did he go? No. He fled. He got scared and fled. We all know the rest of the story...he was swallowed by a "large fish" and remained in its belly for three days and nights. God knows how to humble His children. Jonah was a prophet of God, but not a perfect person. The question asked here is: "Was Joseph Smith Jr. a false prophet"? It wasn't "Was Joseph Smith Jr. a perfect person"? Because he was far from perfect and we all know that. But he was a prophet of God. That is quite obvious if you actually study it. Instead, so many Christian churches now have Sunday School classes on Mormonism/World Religions. Before I converted to the Church, I was Catholic/Methodist (Mother=Catholic; Father=Methodist), then at the age of 14, I began going from church to church searching for the truth. I hated the Mormon Church b/c I had to been to all these majorly biased anti-mormon classes. There are many examples of this type of teaching in this question. They will take Joseph Smith's words and change them into what they want them to mean. Earlier, someone misunderstood what Joseph Smith meant by "generation". They took it as him meaning that generation was his lifetime from birth to death. Generation is actually used to define a dispensation and is quite longer than it was understood to mean. But that is textbook anti-mormon literature.

we have no more prophets. that basically ended with Revelations...which Prophecies have yet to be fulfilled..the Bible never said there would be another Messiah or Prophet... I was studying a few days ago a passage in the OT concerning people who prophecied and it was talking of 2 things :1) how to know if a false prophet(their prophecies do not come true) 2) and what happens to them (and we all know what that is, they will be destroyed along with Satan and his demons for misleading and not teaching the WORD). all our forefathers(ABRAHAM,MOSES,etc.) and prophets and levitacal priests were sinners, why do you think they had to do sacrifices ? for their sins... Prophets could only prophecy with THE HOLY SPIRIT same as Apostles had the HOLY SPIRIT and yes they were sinners....and neither of these could have done without GOD and HIS help!!! prophets predictions were from God and they ALL were fulfilled..they aren't needed today, we have the WORD...kinda like speaking in tongues..what is the use if not understood and prophets are the same if ALL they predict were not manifested..... not in any way trying to be rude, just truthful..but the Bible just does not talk of us having SAINTS, PROPHETS, POPES, etc. only teachers, (pastors) the only LEADERS we need... so, my reasoning is Joseph Smith was not any kind of prophet , a human leader,PERIOD...to some he was Great as Matin Luther King, Ghandi,Billy Graham, etc, whom I admire because they were for PEACE, non violent...hope this helps...

I think there have been MANY false prophets and many religions based on them. Whenever someone claims to have had a vision turn and run.

Not if you're a Mormon I suppose if you're of another religious persuasion he probobly is.

I believe he was one of many that Jesus warned us about. False prophetism is serious business. In biblical times, J.S.-types were typically thrown off cliffs.

Calling him a false prophet is missing the scope of his "achievements." I would rather call him an unscrupulous con man with charisma.

He was a con man.

I have been yelling with an LDS friend over this one for ages and neither of us is going to win. On the one hand we have biblical backup to suggest that if a prophet screws up once, he's not a prophet. We have biblical backup to suggest that plenty of prophets were imperfect people. We also have biblical backup that either there won't be any more prophets.. and that there will be plenty more prophets. Depends what you want to see. Perhaps we need to define the word "prophet". What does a prophet do? He prophesies. Why? Through the power of the Spirit he is vouchsafed revelations of the future unknowable to normal people, in order to get the population's attention, so that he can communicate further important revelations to them from God. He earns that attention and trust by being supernaturally accurate in his prophesy. As God is omnipotent, He should be able to pick a reliable prophet in the first place, and enable the prophet's prophesies to be accurate. Joseph Smith was woefully inaccurate. I will not even begin to enumerate the lofty claims that Smith made which never came to pass. They are easily available at any "anti-Mormon" website, though can clearly sourced from church literature and history. You will likely not find them on an official LDS site for obvious reasons: it's bad business. Smith did say a couple of things that were later realised- but don't we all? That does not make all of us prophets. This is why the bible might suggest that a prophet must be 100% accurate to be worthy of the title. In order to apologise for Smith's multiple inaccuracies, his church allows an unusually large degree of latitude in the definition of prophesy, and prophets: "Prophesy is conditional". "Prophesy can be frustrated by human action". "A prophet is allowed to overstate things". "A prophet is allowed to misunderstand time frames". "A prophet is allowed to misunderstand details". Etcetera. Given all of this... we're all bloody prophets!! Woohoo!! The more pertinent question is whether edicts coming from the mouth of such an ambiguous person can be trusted as the will of God and a reliable basis for a religion so particular and demanding that every detail of a person's life, mind (and wallet) is deeply affected. A brief study of Smith's personal affairs, background, conduct and ambitions should suggest a resounding NO. If God was trying to transmit the most important revelations ever to mankind since Christ's, why did He choose such an unreliable and questionable spokesperson? Is He really that bad a judge of character? No. God doesn't make mistakes. So Joseph Smith was a false prophet.... and/or we're all prophets and should all be allowed to start our own churches, preferably ones that allow us to marry as many people as we like, charge members 10% of their gross earnings to avoid ostracism and censure, print our own money, run for office, and excommunicate anyone who dares question us. I can see the appeal.

I know he was a TRUE prophet. So who's right now. It's important to be properly educated. Find the truth from the best source. A lot of people say no - for what they've heard or read somewhere. If you are a religeous person, ask God if Joseph Smith was a prophet - He knows and answers prayers right? If you aren't a religeous person, I would find out the actual truth and not hearsay before making a decision. Just a thought.

Yes, about as false as you can get.

Why don’t you find out for yourself? A good place to start would be this page on Mormon.org: http://tinyurl.com/4us3m9. (Click around for a while! You might learn something!) ;-) Once you’re done there, head on over to http://www.JosephSmith.net for a whole bunch of info on him. Finally, there’s nothing wrong with checking out sources outside the Church, but please keep in mind the caveats I outlined in my answer to this question: http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/2807357. Moroni prophesied that there “should be both good and evil spoken of [Joseph Smith Jr.] among all people,” and that has *certainly* come to pass. There’s enough information out there to fill a library, but be sure to take all of it with a grain of salt. (And yes, this applies to both good and bad, though in my experience, there aren’t too many people that go out of their way to fabricate good things about anyone.) HTH!

I suppose not to those who believe he wasn't. ;-)

Yes, yes, OK- you guys win. It's been fun debating. I wish we could have a mass debate... but then, mass-debating's a sin, innit? The sad thing is, we're both trying to prove matters of faith by earthly means and evidence. Nobody will win. Playing the last desperate card of "my testimony's bigger than your testimony" is meaningless. If Joe's integrity as a prophet could be definitively proven, and thereby the "truth" of his church, there'd be no other churches left to argue, and 66% of your members (I'm assuming you're LDS) would not be inactive. (Give it time, I'm sure you'll say). OTOH, if its falsity could be proven easily and outright, you guys would no longer exist. The same goes for any other church you might care to mention. "'What is Truth?' said jesting Pilate, and did not stay for an answer". The Truth lies, ultimately, in your personal faith and testimony. Those cannot be disproven, being utterly subjective and abstract. However, nor can mine. I "know" that Joseph Smith was a cad, a bounder, and a shyster (though probably very entertaining company) as much as you "know" that he was a prophet and that his church is true; I would no sooner buy a used chariot from this man than I would a lifestyle and religion. There are good reasons for this, or this question would never have popped up on Answerbag. My head tells me, my heart tells me, the answers to my prayers tell me, as do yours. My head and heart and prayers are as good as yours. It does not necessarily mean that I don't accept your church as "true". I just cannot accept it as being the ONLY truth, in the way that most of you guys insist that it is. You're all so keen to stick God in a little box, limit Him to what can be read in a couple of books, and to exclude or deride honestly questioning people and to cut yourselves off. Me, not so much. Be as LDS as you like, but please don't make the very human error of assuming your "truth" is or must be everybody else's, that everybody else is wrong, deliberately and willfully contrary, or destructive, just because they can't see things your way- or that God is incapable of containing a multitude of "truths". I was happy to live and let live until Mormons told me I was wrong, and if I persisted in being wrong, I was bad or stupid. It is this "all-or-nothing" that I rail against, really, not Joe's dubious prophethood. This very human, controlling, patently and suspiciously profitable "all-or-nothing" is an LDS staple, which, in itself, gives me even more reason to doubt you and Joe. My inability to accept such black-and-white is as much a result of gut feeling and serious prayer as it is of intellectual investigation, but being so keen to leap into the "Joe was full of bull" fray proves that I am as weak and petty as anyone else. I apologise for cheap shots and superficiality, but they're the stuff of which fun fights are made, and are simpler to play with than inscrutable mysteries bigger than anything we can handle. If God can be summed up in the doctrines of one man's church, well, He's bloody tiny, and if He's bloody tiny, then He's not God. Faith is belief without proof. Seems we both have it in spades. As long as we're decent to each other while we're quibbling over terms, I reckon we'll all be fine, and in the meantime, at least we'll keep each other honest. See ya. Keep fighting the good fight.

I think Elizabeth Kelly already tried this gig, LDS.

Is the pope Catholic? ;-)

No. Everything he said was absolutely true. (or not?) Who is he, anyway? Sorry - I guess I shouldn't have written anything here. Nevermind, OK? (now watch the downrates anyway!) ;-)

For those who don't follow him.

If one doesnt like what the Bible says, one adds an addendum and it allows what the Bible says to be changed. Thats what happened here. Joseph Smith, and Joseph Smith Jr added more books and laws and rules to the Bible. They changed what was considered the truth and added and subtracted and multiplied and divided the Truth. So now it vastly different than was once considered basic christian truth. Worshiping in Truth now means worshiping in secret. People have to wear special clothing and go through different ceremonies and speak different rituals. There was never meant to be a higher archie in the church community. Its all false from a Bible believer's point of view. And it is all truth from a member of the Mormon Church. Whether there really is one or not. and yes this question was asked to start a fight, consider its author.

A delusional man, of course he was. You'd have to be brainwashed to think otherwise.

Alright, just when I think I can take a break and get back to a normal life, Latter Day Satan makes a return to answer bag with the same offensive questions. The reason it is offensive to me is I know his history of losing debate after debate and going to another part of the forum and starting the exact same time all over again, even knowing that he's lost. For that reason I am going to go around to every question he's asked about Mormonism and I am going to flag each and every one of them as offensive. I think he's done enough hate-mongering to lose the privilege of debating in the Mormon forums, and I can just hope that answerbag sees it my way.

LDS Prophet Joseph Smith taught that God was once a mortal man: "God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens! That is the great secret. ...I am going to tell you how God came to be God. We have imagined and supposed that God was God from all eternity. I will refute that idea, and take away the veil,... It is the first principle of the gospel to know for a certainty the character of God, ...and that He was once a man like us; yea, that God himself, the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth, the same as Jesus Christ Himself did; ...you have got to learn how to be gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God, the same as all gods have done before you, namely, by going from one small degree to another,... from exaltation to exaltation, until you attain to the resurrection of the dead, and are able to dwell in everlasting burnings. and to sit in glory, as do those who sit enthroned in everlasting power" (History of the Church, Vol. 6, Ch. 14, p. 305-6).

To Latter Day Satan : You are telling lies. And you know it. You know each and every one of these questions has been asked and answered, end of discussion. It's 2 am here and I am going to bed. You have been reported, to answerbag, as well as directly to Kevisaurus Chancellor of Hilarityville whom I am pretty sure is an admin here. When answerbag or Kevisaurus are ready for it, I will hunt down the evidence of your spamming, but it wont be difficult, and your hate mongering tone is obvious. Furthermore, I do not believe you are in Iraq. You spend too much time online, considering soldiers generally get to make like a ten minute call once a week. I just can't see it as anything more then a sick plow to steal credibility by using out men and women of the armed services, and that is just sick. Furthermore, I've never met a soldier that spelled as poorly as you. I can tell you are making use of the spell check for the moment, though.

Yup. He was a conman. First convicted in the 1820's.

What's been empirically substantiated? Golden books? I've never seen one. Magic stones with which to read golden books? Jesus coming to America on a leather boat? Any book can be (and actually IS) written without supernatural help. It take pen, paper, and a fertile imagination.

If one scoffs at the missionary's explanation of the Book of Mormon, he is in so many words claiming it to be false: That it is a deceiving fraud formulated through the efforts and talents of a common man. What is produced by one man can always be duplicated by another. The challenge that the Book of Mormon makes to the world is that of duplication. Because the book complies with every one of the following conditions, in order to produce a similar record, one must comply with the same conditions. Here is the challenge: Can you accept it? 1. Write a history of ancient Tibet covering a period from 600 B.C. to 450 A.D. Why ancient Tibet? Because you know no more about Tibet than Joseph Smith (or anyone else) knew about ancient America. 2. You are 23 years of age. 3. You have had no more than three years of formal school education, and have spent your life in backwoods farming communities. 4. Your history must be written on the basis of what you now know. There was no library that held information for Joseph Smith. You must use none. There is to be no research of any kind. 5. Your history must be 531 pages and over 300,000 words in length. 6. Other than a few grammatical corrections, you must have no changes in the text. The first edition as you dictate it to your secretary must stand forever. 7. This record is to contain the history of two distinct and separate nations, along with histories of different contemporary nations or groups of people. 8. You must describe their religious, economic, political, and social cultures and institutions. Cover every phase of their society, including the names of their coins. 9. Change your style of writing many times. Many ancient authors contributed to the Book of Mormon, each with his own style. 10. Weave into your history the religion of Jesus Christ and the pattern of Christian living. 11. You must claim that your smooth narrative is not fiction with moral value, but true and sacred history. 12. You must include in you book fifty-four chapters dealing with wars, twenty-one historical chapters, fifty-five chapters on visions and prophecies. Remember, when you begin to write visions and prophecies, you must have your record agree meticulously with the Bible. You must write seventy-one chapters on doctrine and exhortation, and you must check every statement with the scriptures or you will be proven a fraud. You must write twenty-one chapters on the ministry of Christ, and every thing you claim he said and every testimony you write in your book about Him must agree absolutely with the New Testament. 13. Many of the facts, claims, ideas, and statements given as absolute truth in your writing must be entirely inconsistent with the prevailing beliefs of the world. Some of these worldly beliefs must be the direct opposite of your claims. 14. Included in your narrations will be authentic modes of travel; whether or not those ancient people used fire; description of their clothing, crops, mourning customs, and types of government. You must invent about 280 new names that will stand up under scrutiny through the years as to their proper application and derivation. 15. You will have to properly use figures of speech, similes, metaphors, narrations, exposition, descriptions, oratory, epic lyric, and parables. 16. You must invite the ablest scholars and experts to examine the text with care, and you must strive diligently to see that your book gets into the hands of those eager to prove it a forgery, and who are most competent to expose every flaw in it. 17. Thorough investigation, scientific and historical evidence, and archeological discovery for the next 125 years must verify its claims and prove detail after detail to be true, for many of the details you put in your history are still buried beneath the soil of Tibet. 18. You must publish it to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people declaring it to be the word of God and another witness for the Lord Jesus Christ. 19. The book must not contain any absurd, impossible, or contradictory statements. Your history must not contain any statement that will contradict any other statement elsewhere in the volume. 20. Many theories and ideas as to its origin must arise, and after discovering and examining the facts, they must fail. You have claimed that your knowledge had come from divine origin, and this claim continues to stand as the only possible explanation. The strength of this explanation must not decrease as time passes, but actually increases to the point where it becomes the only logical explanation. 21. Your record is to fulfill many Bible prophecies, even in the exact manner in which it shall come forth, to whom delivered, its purposes, and its accomplishments. 22. Call down an angel from heaven in the middle of the day and have him bear testimony to four honest, dignified citizens of your community that the record is the word of God. These witnesses must bear the angel's testimony to the world, not for profit or gain, but under great sacrifice and severe persecution, even to their death beds. You must put that testimony to the test by becoming an enemy to these men. 23. Thousands of great men, intellectual giants, national and international personalities, and scholars for 165 years must accept your history and its teachings even to the point of laying down their life rather than deny their testimony of it. 24. You must include with within the record this promise: "And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, He will manifest the truth of it unto you by the power of the Holy Ghost." 25. Missionaries must bear record to the world for the next 165 years that they know the record to be true because they put the promise to the test and found it to be true. The truth of it was manifested to them by the power of the Holy Ghost. 26. Over 52,900 plus competent salesman must be so sold on your book that they gladly give up two or more years of their lives to take it to all parts of the world for distribution. They not only pay their own way during these years, but return bearing testimony that the time spent will remain as one of the highlights of their lives. They receive nothing in return for their efforts but the joy of having shared your book with others. 27. Your book must not only raise the standards of millions of people but do it in such a way that they become one of the great moral, ethical, and dynamic marvels of the day. They must become world renowned for this. 28. For the next 20 years you must watch those that follow and you, your family, and the dearest of your loved ones persecuted, driven time after time from their homes, beaten, tortured, starved, frozen and killed. Tens of thousands must undergo the most extreme hardships in your presence just because they believe your claims concerning the origin and content of what you have written on ancient Tibet. 29. You must gain no wealth from your work, but many times lose all that you have. Like those that believe you, you must submit yourself to the most vile persecution. And finally after 20 years of this, give your own life in a very savage and brutal manner, for your testimony concerning your history book. This must be done willingly on your part. 30. Start right now and produce this record which covers 1,000 years of history, doing it, not in the peaceful atmosphere of your community, but under the most trying of circumstances which include being driven from your home several times, and receiving constant threats upon your life. Please have your book completed, talk a friend into mortgaging his farm to raise money to have it printed - all in 60 days. There is only one answer: The Book of Mormon is a divine record. If not, its origin must be stated and its claims must be explained by the critic. It isn't enough to merely discard it as false and forget about it! The first thing to do in examining any ancient text is to consider it in the light of the origin and background there is no need to look farther, since historical forgery is virtually impossible. Having read through that, you tell me, was Joseph Smith a prophet? If you believe that the book of Mormon is a divine record, then that must mean he was a prophet.

Depends on your point of view. According to the HQ Adam was the first prophet, after him cam many including Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus with Mohammed being the seal, the final one. Or as HQ 33:40 puts it "Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but (he is) the Messenger of God, and the Seal of the Prophets: and God has full knowledge of all things."

The Mormons misuse James 1:5. That verse is for wisdom during times of temptation and persecution, not for knowledge or testing a prophet. He goes on to warn in Chapter 4, verse 3, about those who pray (and we assume it was in Jesus name) for the wrong things—"Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss..." This verse shows our own desires or misdirected ideas can play a part in the answer. If someone claimed God said we should rob a bank and give the money to the poor, would we need to pray about it? God has already spoken on the issue in the Ten Commandments. So why should we pray to know if God and Jesus appeared to Joseph Smith to show him that they are two totally separated gods with resurrected bodies? Or that there were gods BEFORE our heavenly father. (See Smith's sermons in the LDS History of the Church, vol. 6, pp. 305-312, 474-476) Compare his sermons with Isa.43:10-11, 44:6-8, 24-25, 45:5-6, 18-24, 46:5-10. Joseph Smith contradicts Isaiah—which one should we believe? Christians test prophets, pastors, and teachers by the Bible. LDS test the Bible by their prophets. They go about testing the message backwards. The Bible was here first, therefore Joseph Smith must be tested by it, not the other way around. (http://www.utlm.org/onlineresources/howdowetestaprophet.htm)

all prophets are false

More like a bigamist and child molester. Seems anyone can become a prophet. How can people read into what just isn't there.

Yes indeed he was! I know that, without any shadow of a doubt. I have studied and prayed for three long hard weeks to know for myself. One night I was enveloped by the Holy Ghost, and I heard the voice of Jesus Christ tell me that Joseph Smith really was a Prophet of God and the Book of Mormon does contain a fullness of his everlasting Gospel, and this (LDS) Church is his one and only true Church on earth today. You can refuse to accept this from me, but that doesn't in any way take away from what I had experienced that night and many days and nights since. I know what I heard and felt and I cannot deny it, nor will I ever. Joseph Smith really was and is a Prophet of God. whew6

The reasons why Joseph Smith is demonstrably a false prophet is a LONG topic but a cryptic list includes (but is not limited to) Joseph Smith's: . 1) Numerous unfulfilled prophecies. http://www.ils.unc.edu/~unsworth/mormon/unfulfilledprophecies.html . 2) Use of Occult practices like scrying and Shamanism. http://www.concernedchristians.com/index.php?option=com_fireboard&Itemid=42&func=view&id=79046&catid=3#79046 http://www.concernedchristians.com/index.php?option=com_fireboard&Itemid=42&func=view&id=73023&catid=522 . 3) Incorporating Free Masonry into the LDS Temple ceremonies - it is rooted in Kabbalah which is occultic) http://www.concernedchristians.com/index.php?option=com_fireboard&Itemid=42&func=view&id=69507&catid=522 http://www.concernedchristians.com/index.php?option=com_fireboard&Itemid=42&func=view&id=72979&catid=522 http://www.concernedchristians.com/index.php?option=com_fireboard&Itemid=42&func=view&id=72975&catid=522 . 4) Fulfilling every Old and New Testament test for a false Prophet. Deu 13:1-11; 18:18-21 Mat 7:15-20 The following Video goes into further detail on each of these points here's a link -- and I've also embedded the video in this post. So take your pick! http://www.concernedchristians.com/index.php?option=com_fireboard&Itemid=42&func=view&id=75164&catid=513

Put me down for an absolutely yes! Even though there is no way to prove such a thing. Whether he is or was a prophet can only be deserned by spiritual means. And why shouldn't it be, who better to answer that question than the Lord himself? But the real question is, do you have the Faith necessary to pray for an answer? I did and I do know for myself and I do not need any further proof. whew4

He was a very human man with many faults who did pray and receive an answer from the Lord (not two personages as later embellished). Everyone can pray and receive revelation. He was inspired to translate the Book of Mormon. He was warned by God to not do any more than that. He did not listen to this. His ego and lust caused him to fall: “For although a man may have many revelations, and have power to do many mighty works, yet if he boasts in his own strength, and sets at naught the counsels of God, and follows after the dictates of his own will and carnal desires, he must fall and incur the vengeance of a just God upon him” (Doctrine, pg 5, 3:4). Joseph did fall when he got into polygamy, masonry, and allowed Book of Mormon (BoM)to have the "plain and precious truths" taken out of it. All of these serious errors are warned of in the LDS scriptures! (D&C 132 justifying polygamy was embellished and added in after the Masonic murder of JS) The BoM states clearly that polygamy is "an abominable thing unto the Lord" Jacob 2:23-24 & Jacob 3 However, he did repent just prior to his assassination: D. Michael Quinn’s historical research into the early years of the church found that Joseph Smith repented of polygamy weeks prior to his assassination by burning the original polygamy manuscript with his first wife Emma and telling the Quorum to burn their Masonic temple garments and to stop practicing polygamy. June 10, 1844: “Hyrum (Joseph’s brother) tells Nauvoo City Council that the 1843 revelation pertains to ancient polygamy, not to modern times…” June 20, 1844: “Smith writes the apostles to return to Nauvoo immediately and probably on this occasion, instructs them to destroy their endowment undergarments.” June 23, 1844: “…Joseph and Emma Smith burn the original manuscript of the 1843 polygamy revelation, presumably on this evening…” (Quinn, pg 645 ¶ 6, ¶ 12, pg 646 ¶ 1). After the Masonic murder of Joseph Smith, D&C Section 132 is politically added to LDS scriptures to justify polygamy. Is this why Joseph Smith was murdered? Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball (HCK), early leaders were 33rd degree Masons who had infiltrated the church (see autobiography of HCK and see Ann Eliza Young's autobiography, 1875). LDS scriptures confirm the prophecies of the “abomination” of polygamy and the need for the “Cleansing of the Church” (Book, Doctrine). The Book of Mormon is a historical account of the “other sheep” who lived in Ancient America that Jesus mentions prior to ascending from Jerusalem after his Resurrection “Christ said, And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd" (Bible, John 10:16). The “sheep” in America knew of Jesus Christ and kept a record of their history which Joseph Smith was inspired to find and translate.

The book of mormon talked about these great ancient type cities in the USA...There is no archeological proof of them as there was of EGYPT, JERUSALEM, NAZERATH...AZTECS, MAYAN, INCA and all the cities of the Bible. But the cities explained were like them...GREAT CITIES....No, I dont believe it is true...at all.

As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I have to answer "yes" to both questions. If I believed otherwise I would leave Mormonism.

There are two kinds of prophets, one from God and a false prophet. It's easy to uncover the truth The book of Mormon needs to be examined from both sides. http://www.apologeticspress.org/rr/reprints/Book-of-Mormon.pdf In fact all religions need to be examined from both sides.

Since Answerbag inexplicably rejected my “duplicate” flag for this question, I will also respond: Yes, he was; and yes, it is. There’s just way too much evidence for me to deny. :-)