More notes from an uncompleted manuscript:
When, in late June of 1844, Governor Thomas Ford demanded that Joseph come to Carthage, Illinois, a hotbed of hostility both to Mormonism and to Joseph personally, in order to answer serious charges that had been leveled against him by his enemies, Joseph first decided to flee across the Mississippi and then, if possible, to make a personal appeal to U.S. President John Tyler. But many, perhaps even his wife, accused him of cowardice. “That charge,” writes his non-Mormon biographer Robert Remini,
struck home. A good shepherd does not desert. He defends his flock, even if it costs him his life.
Joseph turned to Hyrum. “Brother Hyrum,” he said, “you are the oldest, what shall we do?”
“Let us go back and give ourselves up,” came the reply.
“We shall be butchered,” Joseph protested.
“The Lord is in it. If we live or die, we shall be reconciled to our fate.”
Clearly Joseph showed . . . a side of human weakness in running away from danger. He rightly feared for his life, and he did not wish to die. He had to be reminded of his station and calling. He had to be reminded to place his trust in the Lord. . . .
Since he believed—he always believed—that he had been chosen by God to restore the true Church, he must have known that, like Christ, he might be expected to sacrifice his life in order to validate his mission. When the moment came for a final decision, he willingly consented to it.[1]
In April 1843, Joseph told an audience in Nauvoo, “If I had not actually got into this work and been called of God, I would back out. But I cannot back out: I have no doubt of the truth.”[2]
[1] Remini, Joseph Smith, 169.
[2] HC 5:336.
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A brief but interesting excursion into an issue in New Testament studies:
“Why does it matter when the Bible’s Book of Acts was written?”
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I often see the accusation that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints cares nothing and does nothing for non-members. Here’s yet another redundant demonstration that that malicious claim is flatly false:
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Another article from the highly intelligent and insightful evangelical Protestant commentator David French about the current crisis in the Roman Catholic Church:
“Sexual Libertinism Won’t Save the Church”
In my judgment, there are lessons to be learned from this situation — and from David French’s article — by Latter-day Saints, as well.
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I’ve finally had a chance (and the better internet connection required) to watch Meghan McCain’s emotional tribute to her Dad. If you haven’t done so yet, please watch it. It’s seventeen minutes long, and it’s deeply moving and inspiring:
https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2018/09/01/meghan-mccain-john-mccain-funeral-speech-full-vpx.cnn
Whenever I attend the funeral of a good person who has lived a good life, I’m inspired and challenged. And I wonder, What might someone (truthfully) say at my funeral? And what can I do between now and then to make it more likely that good things can be accurately said about me? That a fair summation of my life can be as inspiring to others as the tributes to certain others have been to me? Not, perhaps, the absolutely lowest goal for which to strive.
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