You wish to know, "What is the personal character and influence, doctrines and claims of him who is called the leader, Joseph Smith?" Joseph Smith, when the great designs of heaven were first made known to him, was not far from the age of seventeen; from that time to this he has had much said about him, both of a favourable and unfavourable nature. I shall only speak of his character as I believe it to be from an intimate acquaintance of more than one year, and from an intimate acquaintance with those who have been with him many years. No man is more narrowly watched by friends and enemies than Mr. Joseph Smith; consequently, if he were as good a man as any prophet that has preceded him, he would have as violent enemies as others have had. But I hasten to give my own opinion.
I firmly avow, in the presence of God, that I believe Mr. Joseph Smith to be an upright man, that seeks the glory of God in such a manner as is well pleasing to the Most High God. Naturally he is kind and obliging; pitiful and courteous; as far from dissimulation as any man; frank and loquacious to all men, friends or foes. He seems to employ no studied effort to guard himself against misrepresentation, but often leaves himself exposed to misconstructions by those who watch for faults. He is remarkably cheerful for one who has seen well-tried friends martyred around him, and felt the inflictions of calumny—the vexation of lawsuits—the treachery of intimates—and multiplied violent attempts upon his person and life, together with the cares of much business. His influence, after which you inquire, is very great. His friends are as ardently attached to him as his enemies are violently opposed. Free toleration is given to all opposing religions, but wherever he is accredited as a prophet of the living God, there you will perceive his influence must be great. That lurking fear and suspicion that he may become a dictator or despot, gradually gives place to confidence and fondness, as believers become acquainted with him.
In doctrine, Mr. Smith is eminently scriptural. I have never known him to deny or depreciate a single truth of the Old and New Testaments, but I have always known him to explain and defend them in a masterly manner. Being anointed of God, for the purpose of teaching and perfecting the church, it is needful that he should know how to set in order the things that are wanting, and to bring forth things new and old, as a scribe well instructed. This office and apostleship he appears to magnify; at his touch the ancient prophets spring into life, and the beauty and power of their revelations are made to commend themselves with thrilling interest to all that hear.
You inquire, "Does he claim to be inspired?" Certainly he does claim to be inspired. He often speaks in the name of the Lord, which would be rank hypocrisy and mockery, if he were not inspired to do it. It seems very difficult for those who stand at the distance of many generations from the true prophets, to realize what prophets are, and what ought to be expected from them. I do not chide them for their ignorance and folly, however, because I have nothing to boast of, previous to embracing the faith of the Latter-day Saints. I understand that prophets may speak as they are moved by the Holy Ghost at one time, while they may be very far from being moved by the Holy Ghost as they speak at another. They may be endowed with power to perform miracles and mighty deeds at one time, while they have no authority, and there is no suitableness in doing the same at another time.
You ask, "Is he a man of prayer, of a pure life, of peace? Does he appear at the head of his troops as a military commander?" These questions I answer, according to the best knowledge I have, in the affirmative. As a people, we perform military duty as the laws of the State of Illinois enjoin and require. The legion answers the purpose to keep the lawless and mobocratic at a respectful distance; and the more "earthquake and storm" our enemies raise about the Nauvoo Legion, and a military chieftain like the ancient Mahomet, the greater fear and dread of us will be conveyed to the minds of the lawless, who watch for prey, and spoil, and booty. I can assure you, that neither Mr. Smith, nor any other intelligent Latter-day Saint, ever intends to make one convert by the sword; neither are we such tee-total peacemakers, that any savage banditti of lawless depredators could waste our property, violate virtue, and shed innocent blood, without experiencing from us a firm defence of law, of right, and innocence. We are to this day very sensitive to a repetition of past wrongs that we still smart under. The Lord our God, who was once called (by a man after his own heart) "a man of war," we trust will be our defence and strong tower in the day of battle, if our country should ever call us to scenes of carnage and blood.
You ask, "What is the nature of the worship among you, and wherein does it differ from that of religious people with whom you have been acquainted elsewhere?" On the sabbath some person usually preaches a sermon after prayer and singing, and, perhaps, reading some scripture. We have, also, frequent prayer meetings, in which all that are so disposed may join. The gifts are variously exercised, sometimes in the way of prophecy, or in tongues; sometimes in discerning of spirits, or interpretation of tongues. The ordinance of baptism, together with the imposition of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, is administered as occasion may require. Thus you will perceive that our worship differs from what we both have been accustomed to in times that are past.—Anxious seats and inquiry meetings, &c., are not in use at all with us; although converts to our faith have swelled our numbers greatly in every year that is past, yet we are very far from employing any blustering effort to convert men. The spirit of God attends the truth with sufficient power to save the upright; while those that hold the truth in unrighteousness, and contend with it, are beyond the legitimate exercise of divine power to save, and are led captive by the devil at his will.
Our worship differs from that of other religious people, inasmuch as we have the knowledge of God, and the true doctrine and order of his kingdom, beyond all perplexing doubt and diversity of opinion. It is utterly impossible for intelligent and devoted sectarian clergy to lead their hearers into any considerable knowledge of God, for this very potent reason, that they neither know much of him themselves, nor, indeed, have they the means of knowing him. For this they are not at all culpable; but the fact is, nevertheless, incontrovertible.
I do not now speak to please men, nor to mortify them, but I know it to be true, my brother, and therefore speak it boldly. Are you offended? Will you stop here and throw down my letter with contempt, as though an ignorant upstart had abused you? If I write plainly, it is with deep and painful emotions. While writing I can hardly suppress a flood of tears. I know the dilemma in which many of my religious brethren are placed, and the extreme difficulty of approaching them; but whether they hear or forbear, I must tell them that it is out of their power to attain to any considerable knowledge of the true and living God. But, say they, have we not got the good old Bible, which makes men wise unto salvation? You have, indeed, those venerable truths which have many ages since made men wise unto salvation; and those truths will teach you, if you take heed to them, that the Gentiles have been broken off from the covenant favour of God as the Jews were. But these scriptures cannot impart to you the gifts of the Holy Ghost; they cannot ordain and qualify you to teach and preach the gospel, and administer the ordinances; they cannot give you promises and revelations that are expressly for you.
When the apostle Paul was in danger of being shipwrecked with his crew (see Acts of Apostles), it would have been poor consolation to him to read the ancient history of Jonah's shipwreck, and pray over the subject in order to know how the voyage would result to him; but how much greater his consolation, and how much more certain his knowledge, when God ministers to him by visions and angels, and promises both him and the crew preservation. Philip wanted no better assurance of his duty to go to Gaza, than for an angel of God to tell him to go; but if he had pored over ancient revelations, with prayerful anxiety, in order to know the same, it would have been a poor guide. The New Testament Saints did not lean upon Old Testament revelations for the knowledge of present duties, or for aid in their present contingencies; they looked directly to God for present fresh instruction and aid—they obtained what they looked for.
The ancient Jews (contemporary with Christ), that leaned on the venerated sayings of Abraham and Moses, and other old prophets, abode in darkness, and became the prey of foul spirits, while the advocates of present revelations were mighty through God, in signs and wonders, and marvellous deeds.