Surely his sense of fairness after making such an accusation, should have demanded of him more than this.
The following letter, which, under the circumstances, is worthy of producing, was forwarded to him also requesting that justice be done, but it was ignored absolutely:
"Salt Lake City, April 5, 1905.
"Joseph Smith, Esq.,
"Editor, 'The Saints' Herald,'
"Lamoni, Iowa."My Dear Sir:
"I was very greatly surprised to notice in the issue of the 'Herald' of March 29, 1905, your editorial entitled, 'Who Make and Love a Lie.' I am surprised because of the plainly implied accusation that President Joseph F. Smith is a maker and lover of lies. I am surprised because of the unfairness of the article referred to which will take for granted the statement of a man's bitterest foe and place that statement before his people, commenting upon it as if it were an admitted fact, without one word of explanation from the person so wickedly accused, or a single effort to present both sides. I am surprised because such an article appears in a periodical which is the organ of a religious organization claiming to have sprung out of the work founded by the great prophet who, 'came up through much tribulation,' and who was misrepresented through all his days upon the earth.
"I am surprised that a man whose early years were spent in the sorrows and privations incident to the persecutions suffered by a father whose whole life was spent in sorrow and affliction, in consequence of the false testimony borne against him and the constant misrepresentation of his mission, should allow himself to pass judgment upon another before hearing his defense, and finding him guilty of 'an unfortunate and unwise thing,' forgetting the wise proverb, 'He who judgeth a matter before he heareth it, is not wise.'
"It is true, the article begins with the expression—'IfPresident Joseph F. Smith has stated in public,' etc., etc., but the remainder of the article clearly assumes that it is sure that he did so state, as note: "but, when the President publicly states that he lied when he gave his evidence,' * * * those who (previously) admired him. * * * * cannot admire him as a confessed perjurer.
"President Joseph F. Smith has never stated in public nor in private that he lied when he gave his evidence or at any other time, and he is not a confessed, nor any other kind of a perjurer, and I must repeat that I am surprised that any man claiming to be fair, and to be an example of truthfulness, should follow in the steps of men who indeed 'love and make lies,' as you well know.
"Does it occur to you that there is anything in the nature of loving a lie when a person repeats the lies of others and takes pleasure in assuming the false accusations are true?—or that there is anything in the nature of 'making a lie' when a person takes the lying testimony of a man's foes and places it before his people without giving them the opportunity of judging the matter by knowing both sides?
"It was by such specious falsehoods that the life of the Prophet Joseph was repeatedly placed in danger. It was by such false testimony that the Son of Man was condemned by the Priests, the Rabbis, the Scribes and the Pharisees.
"You ask, 'What can honorable men, in or out of the Church, think of such a man?'
"Let me say in reply to your question:—honorable men and men of wisdom, who love the truth, in or out of the Church, seek to know the truth before joining with the rabble in the cry, 'Crucify him! Crucify him!' and such men, who know the facts, and who love not a lie, but love the truth and the Lord its maker, honor and revere the man whom your article so subtly defames. They know him to be an upright, true, pure, honorable man, whose simple life has been before his people all his days, whose heart is true, whose tongue is true, whose courage is undaunted, whose faith is unshaken, and who is, in all respects, worthy of the love, confidence and support of the people of the living God.
"In order that you may not fall under the dreadful charge of 'Loving and Making a Lie,' will you publish, for the information of the readers of the 'Herald,' the other side of this matter if it is furnished you?
"It is not my habit to take up matters of this kind, and if these accusations had been made against myself, I should never have noticed them, but knowing what a great injustice your article does to a good and noble man—my true friend and brother—I felt impelled to call your attention to it, in the hope that your sense of fairness would cause you to do simple justice, and not join in the hue and cry of those who 'Make and Love a Lie.'"
"Yours truly,
"THOMAS HULL."
He failed absolutely, when the evidence was furnished him, to justly, honorably, make the matter right. There is some degree of commendation due the man who maligns another if he is willing to make amends, and we can honor a man who will correct an error when he discovers that fact and is willing to make full satisfaction; but little respect can be had for one who, after wronging another, will not attempt to right it when he learns he is wrong. Abraham Lincoln said in his debate with Douglas, that there was a moral rule, "That persons who tell what they do not know to be true, falsify as much as those who knowingly tell falsehoods." We leave the matter in the hand of a Just Judge, who will judge all men according to their works.
WHO ORDAINED BRIGHAM YOUNG.
The following is from the Deseret News, May 11, 1907.
A correspondent writing from Parker, Idaho, requests a reply, through the columns of the "News" to the question, "By whom was President Young ordained to the Presidency of the Church?" It appears that the emissaries of the Reorganite Church have discovered in that question a fruitful source of sophistical controversy, and that they are triumphantly asking it wherever they go.
The proper reply is, he was ordained by the Prophet Joseph to that calling, when the Prophet, prompted by the Holy Spirit, conferred upon the Twelve Apostles the power and authority, he himself had received. The following statement of facts by Elder Joseph F. Smith, Jr., can be verified by the authentic records of the Church:
"The Prophet Joseph earnestly desired that his brother Hyrum should live to succeed him in the Presidency of the Church. In the year 1841, by command of the Lord, he ordained him to this exalted position, as is quite evident from the following, Section 124, verses 94-5, of the Doctrine and Covenants:
"And from this time forth I appoint unto him (Hyrum Smith) that he may be a prophet, and a seer, and a revelator unto my Church as well as my servant Joseph.
"That he may act in concert also with my servant Joseph, and that he shall receive counsel from my servant Joseph, who shall show unto him the keys whereby he may ask and receive, and be crowned with the same blessing and glory, and honor, and Priesthood, and gifts of the Priesthood, that once were put upon him that was my servant Oliver Cowdery."