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Show Page 212 Brigham wanted the Saints to learn, but was undoubtedly uneasy with Orson's vision of the Church as an educational experiment, a laboratory for the soul. These things were too rarefied for Brigham Young's taste, and though he only growled at The Seer, he was thoroughly alarmed at Orson's edition of Brief Sketch.... On January 31, 1855, Brigham published a notification in the Millennial Star: "There are many mistakes in the work entitled 'Biographical Sketch of Joseph Smith the Prophet'...by Lucy Smith...and published at Liverpool for Orson Pratt...A monthly periodical called the 'Seer,' published by Elder Orson Pratt at Washington City, D.C., contains beautifully xvritten articles; but notwithstanding the general beauty of the style, and the apparent candour and minuteness of the reasoning, the 'Seer' has many items of erroneous doctrine. As it would be a lengthy and laborious operation to enter minutely into their dis. proval, I prefer to let the Saints...ask themselves what spirit they are of...Brigham Young." 6 And so began a sporadic campaign on the part of the Prophet to tighten the reins on the philosopher of Mormonism. Orson was clearly embarrassed by this, and, as always, caught unawares. He cared little for the pre-eminence his office accorded him, and not at all for church "politics," and so he was a little bewildered at this sudden dressing-down by the presidency. In the News he published an advertisement a few weeks later which acknowledged with diffidence the problems in A Brief Sketch.... : "I procured the manuscripts while on my last mission in the United States, and was informed at the time that most of the work was written under the inspection of the Prophet; but from evidences since received, it is believed that the greater part of the manuscript did not pass under his review, as there are items which are ascertained to be incorrect...In future editions the work will be carefully revised and corrected..." He goes on to recommend it, however, as "interesting to the people" and as a first reader for schoolchildren. He says nothing in print about Brigham's attack on The Seer. |