Joseph Smith

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Joseph Smith the Father of Mormonism
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In order to understand Mormonism one must know
some basic information about who Joseph Smith was
and how he brought Mormonism into existence.
1. Who was Joseph Smith? 2. What was his
background like? 3. What was his character
like? 4. How did he write the Book of Mormon?
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• According to the Mormon Church
• Joseph Smith was the Spiritual Father of
  Mormonism.
• Joseph Smith was led by the Angel Moroni to find
  the Golden
• Tablets.
• These Golden Tablets are said to be the other
  testament of
• Jesus Christ in the Americas of which more
  than 8 million
• followers believe and live by today.
• "The Prophet Joseph Smith's writing career began
  at age twenty-two when he commenced translation
  of the Book of Mormon. At his death seventeen
  years later, in 1844, he had left a substantial
  archive for the study of his life and the church
  he was instrumental in founding.
  www.mormons.org

http//www.angelfire.com/mo/msp/cotz.html
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Remember Besides this biography, there are
many other great resources in your search for
absolute truth. Below are many other web sites
that will help you continue on your search. Just
click onto the link you wish to visit. At the end
of this presentation there will be a button that
will lead you back to this page if you wish to
search more.
1. Commentary on the Biography
and the writer Lieutenant J.W. Gunnison
http//www.isle-of-man.com/manxnote
book/fulltext/gu1852/intro.htm
2. Accurate information and a Christians
perspective on Mormonism
http//www.summit.org/index.html
3. A great resource for the Christian faith
on many topic including Mormonism
http//www.christiananswers.net
4. The complete Mormon web page - "Read
directly from them
http//www.mormons.org/
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The following is a short text on Joseph Smith
from a book titled The Mormons, or, Latter-day
saints, in the valley of the Great salt lake a
history of their rise and progress, peculiar
doctrines, present condition, and prospects,
derived from personal observation during a
residence among them A Biography written by
Lieutenant J.W. Gunnison Publication Date1860
The Golden Tablets
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As this will controvert disagree with the
statements of the "Prophet," Joseph Smith, and
his father's family, we ask the opinion of their
neighbors whether their assertions statements
are entitled to unquestioned credit. Fifty-one
gentlemen of Palmyra, New York, and eleven of
Manchester, and several persons who lived near
the family residence..all testify to the same
effect "that they consider them destitute
lacking of that moral character, which ought to
entitle them to the confidence of any community
and particularly that the senior and junior
Josephs,were entirely unworthy of belief in such
matters and addicted to vicious cruel
spiteful habits."
Page 89 Lieutenant J.W. Gunnison Publication
Date1860
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They were visionary men, and believed that hidden
treasures were in the vicinity area, and often
employed themselves in digging for them and
money. They used what in Scotland are denominated
called Seer-stones,.. can see things at a
distance, or future events passing before their
eyes, or things buried in the earth. Such a stone
was dug from a well by one Willard Chase, which
was loaned to the prophet Joseph, and retained by
him, and with which some of the family declared
he read in the location of Golden Bible.
Page 89 Lieutenant J.W. Gunnison
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http//moa.umdl.umich.edu/cgi/sgml/moa-idx?notisi
dAGU9642 page b.
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These Seer stones are those spoken of in the
Book of Mormon, as the ones touched by the finger
of God for the use of Jared in his barges
boats, when he crossed the Pacific to settle
America. They became shining lights in his dark
vessel. The family also used peach and
witch-hazel rods, to detect and drive off evil
spirits, when digging for money and such
branches are supposed by many to point out
streams of running water beneath the surface and
are used by miners frequently to find the lodes
of mineral
Page 90 Lieutenant J.W. Gunnison
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• What did we just read and learn about Joseph
  Smiths character?
• 51 men in New York who knew Joseph Smith
  testified that
• Joseph Smith was lacking of any morals
• His questionable character makes it difficult to
  believe his claims
• Joseph Smith and family were involved in habits
  that were
• Cruel and Spiteful
• 3. Some of there habits involved
• Money digging searching mystically for hidden
  treasure
• Seer-Stones Stones like crystal balls that even
  led them to the golden bible later the Book of
  Mormon
• Overall how would you describe the character of
  Joseph Smith? ____________________________________
  ____________

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It has already been mentioned that in 1823, under
the preaching of a Methodist elder, the
prophet, as we shall continue to call Joseph,
and his father's family, were converted or
excited, in a revival of religion During this
rivalry the sects war of religions..peculiar
views were freely discussed ..and to one so
observant, their theological notions, supported
each by Bible Commentaries, were well digested by
Joseph. Could a compounded a mixed, system be
deduced worked out from them that would suit a
majority of minds, ..the task of founding a "new
church," would not seem a very great work to one
who looked upon each of those bodies ..as equally
a true one, or only organizations for carrying
out human purposes man centered wants.
Page 90 Lieutenant J.W. Gunnison
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Judging from what he says in his autobiography,
ideas of this kind now took possession of his
mind, on which he systematically working out a
plan acted during the remainder of his career.
He informs us that he engaged in earnest prayer
for enlightenment. He rose at night and
continued his supplications prayers. In
September of that year 1823, when all else was
hushed in sleep, his prayers were answered by a
heavenly vision. An angel Moroni in all the
splendor of light, radiating from his head, with
eyes of ..flame, and hair like fleecy wool, stood
before him. His message was that Joseph should
gird himself for the work of the Lord, and go
forth among men and restore His Gods church.
No doubt he had a remarkable dream that night,
waking or sleeping for though the vision was
repeated in the most resplendent glorious
manner, and important revelations given
concerning the manner of founding a "new church,"
and information upon the subject of hidden
records on plates of gold in the vicinity- yet he
informs us that he went about his work as usual
on the following morning. The conception of the
plan might well be called his "brilliant glory.
Page 91 Lieutenant J.W. Gunnison
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He continued and acquired great reputation for
money-digging. A man by the name of Stowell, in
Bainbridge, New York, employed him to dig for
hidden treasure in the neighborhood. Some legends
of the wandering Spaniards from De Soto's band,
and the wealth of the aboriginal inhabitants
buried on the banks of the Susquehanna, had fired
the imaginations of the old Dutchman, and a
company was in search of the untold wealth. The
seer-stone and the mineral rod were already
familiar to Joseph, and his pretensions and
frequent search caused him to be called the
"money-digger."
Page 92 Lieutenant J.W. Gunnison
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• What did we just read and learn about Joseph
  Smiths influence on Mormonism?
• Through a revival experience and contact with
  fighting religions
• Joseph pondered the idea of starting a new
  church
• The new church would be combination of the best
  of all churches
• It didnt seem difficult for Joseph to work out
  this church in His mind
• 2. Joseph then had a vision, dream, or
  experience
• Meeting an angel that told him the location of a
  golden bible
• That would give him directions on how to fix
  Gods church
• 3. After this incredible experience with God and
  the angel
• Joseph acted as if nothing had changed
• He continued to money dig for profit
• Describe why you would or would not put you hope
  in a faith based on this mans experience?
  __________________________________________________
  ___

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The whole explication origin of the Book of
Mormon hangs on the following circumstances.
.The manner of peopling America population by
some Jews and the "lost ten tribes of Israel"
..and the division into tribes like the 12
tribes of Israel as they were found in our
Indians at the discovery by Columbus, is known to
have been written by the late Rev. Spalding at
Conneaut, Ohio. This was just previous to 1812,
and his brother testifies that their
Indians/tribes "arts, sciences and civilization
were brought into view, in order to account for
all the curious antiquities old items found in
various parts of North and South America." A
clear idea of the work can be had from the
affidavit of Mr. Henry Lake, given at Conneaut,
in 1833, which is corroborated supported by
abundant other testimony.
Page 92 Lieutenant J.W. Gunnison
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He Joseph Smith frequently read to me from a
manuscript which he was writing, and which he
entitled the Manuscript Found, which he
represented as being found in this town. I spent
many hours in hearing him read said writings and
became acquainted with their contents. He wished
me to assist him in getting it printed, alleging
that a book of that kind would meet with a rapid
sale. This book represented the American Indians
as the lost tribes, gave an account of their
leaving Jerusalem, their contentions and wars,
which were many and great. One time, when he
was reading to me the tragic account of Laban, I
pointed out to him what I considered an
inconsistency, which he promised to correct but
by referring to the Book of Mormon, I find to my
surprise it stands there, just as he read it to
me then. Many months ago I borrowed a golden
Bible, had not read twenty minutes before I was
astonished to find the same passages in it.
Page 93 Lieutenant J.W. Gunnison
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• What did we just read and learn about Joseph
  Smiths writing of the Book of Mormon?
• The whole basis for the Book of Mormon relies
  heavily on
• The fact that Jews came to America on a boat
• The fact that these Jews are actually American
  Indians
• These Indians are the lost tribes of Israel from
  the Bible
• 2. The idea for the tribes came originally from
• Rev. Henry Spalding
• Which simply separated Indians into tribes by
  their rare artifacts
• Joseph rewrote the account to mean these Indians
  were Jews
• Joseph said he found the manuscript in his town
• 3. In writing and reading the account to Lieut.
  G.W. Gunnison
• The revision was found to have inconsistencies
• The revisions were never changed even when
  noticed
• The basis and foundation for the Book of Mormon
  is reliable or not reliable because?
  __________________________________________________
  _______

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• Answer the following questions
• Using 3 complete sentences per question
• On a separate sheet of paper typed neatly
• Respond to the information given

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• 1. Overall how would you describe the character
  of Joseph Smith? _________________________________
  ___________________
• 2. Describe why you would or would not put you
  hope in a faith based on this mans experience?
  __________________________________________________
  _
• 3. The basis and foundation for the Book of
  Mormon is reliable or not reliable because?
  __________________________________________________
  ____________

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• Credits and Resources
• 1.Tucker, Pomeroy. Origin, Rise, and Progress of
  Mormonism. A Biography of its Founders and
  History of its Church, Appleton, N.Y 1867. The
  Nineteenth Century in Print, 1850-1880
  http//moa.umdl.umich.edu/cgi/sgml/moa-idx?notisi
  dAGU9642 page b (July 15, 2001).
•  
• 2.Gunnison, Lieut. J.W. (John Williams), The
  Mormons, or, Latter-day saints, in the valley of
  the Great salt lake a history of their rise and
  progress, peculiar doctrines, present condition,
  and prospects, derived from personal observation
  during a residence among them. Philadelphia, PA
  1860. The Nineteenth Century in Print, 1850-1880
  http//moa.umdl.umich.edu/cgi/sgml/moa-idx?notis
  idAJK2815 (July 10, 2001).
• 1 2 found in American Memory Collection
  Library of Congress
• Other pictures from the web were sited by URL
  address

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