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Show -1 Mr. Ro erts went on o say a e sou ern part of North Ameri a and northern part of South America had been in the highest plane of civilization, aucl at the time of discovery by Columbus was going back into a barbarous state instead of em rging into dviliza tion; that -Mexico, Yucatan, had ,been settled by people from Asia, and tha.t the cities in Mexico cDmpared favorably with the ancient cities of Thebes, ~femph!s, I Tyre, and other ancient cities of Egypt, and the far East. In 1827, the biographer went on, thJs WQrk I was given to Smith aucl trau lated l>y him, and was known ·as the book of 'i\I<Jrmon, c-0mpiled from all the records kept by the ancient inhabitants of North America. Smith, it is claimed,, had as witnesses that the angel showed him the record and Goe.l's voice saying that the translation was true, •three men, David Rickmer, Henry Harris a.nd Oliver Coudrey, and although the. e men in after years were forced to leave the Mormon church, still they never deuied their first statement in. regard to the record. Mr. Roberts closed his remark: by saying that on April 6, 1830, Joseph Smith organized the Church of Christ and that the work is still going on; that Mormonism is not new, but it is the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Mr. Roberts then retired from the tage. After be was through a gefitleman in the audience arose and begged leave to a k a question. It was granted, and he a«ke<i: "Concerning the proclamation of Jo. eph Smith, does it allow polrga:my as practiced ever . ince the Mormon church was organized?'' In reply, Mr. Ballard, a :Mormon pres nt, said that the laws of the church of he Mormons were the same laws as lai 1 down by Isaac,Abraham and Jacob. A •oic in the audience shouted: .. Ye~. but tha does not answer the questi n," but the audience was left in c1arkne-.:;. l\1r. Roberts also spoke in the afternoon, but ohly a few peoplP atten ed. The number in · the evening audience was not exceedingly large. I I I |
