Journal of Discourses 1:40-41; “Joseph Smith was not killed because he was deserving of it, nor because he was a wicked man; but because he was a virtuous man. I know that to be so, as well as I know that the sun now shines. … Joseph Smith was the subject of forty-eight lawsuits, and the most of them I witnessed with my own eyes; but not one action could ever be made to bear against him. No law or constitutional right did he ever violate. He was innocent and virtuous; he kept the law of his country, and lived above it; out of forty-eight lawsuits (and I was with him in the most of them), not one charge could be substantiated against him. He was pure, just, and holy, as to the keeping of the law. Now this I state for the satisfaction of those who do not know our history; but the Lord and the angels know all about it.” – Brigham Young, Salt Lake City, July 11, 1852

Philippians 4:8; “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

Ephesians 4:1-3; “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Proverbs 10:9, 11; “He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known. 11 The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.”

Oh dear, the words out of Mr. Young’s mouth…there are times when I’m embarrassed for those who say and do things in public they shouldn’t have… I’m also sad for those who believe the blatant lies from Church authorities. And this one particular lie is still going strong after close to 200 years later.

Let’s take a quick look of Brigham’s inspired outlook of Joe Smith –

‘Joseph Smith was not killed because he was deserving of it, nor because he was a wicked man; but because he was a virtuous man.’

What virtuous deed caused US authorities to toss Smith in the slammer?

‘Joseph Smith was the subject of forty-eight lawsuits, and the most of them I witnessed with my own eyes; but not one action could ever be made to bear against him.’

This isn’t true! All one has to do is look in the annals of the Church’s own history to find the numerous times he was fined for breaking the law. Question: why did he ‘escape’ from one of the prisons he was being held in if he was innocent?

By  the way – 48 lawsuits? Really? Who in their life has ever had 48 lawsuits brought against them? This smells like trouble!

‘No law or constitutional right did he ever violate.’

If he hadn’t broken any laws then why was he awaiting trial in Carthage, Illinois?

Truth: Smith and friends were being held on charges of riot, and additional charges of treason were levied against him for declaring martial law, which is a capital offense! See article ‘Martyrdom of Joseph Smith’ for more info.

As the mayor of Nauvoo, he ordered the destruction of a newspaper – how is that act not a violation of the law?

Brigham went on to say –

‘…He was innocent and virtuous; he kept the law of his country, and lived above it; out of forty-eight lawsuits (and I was with him in the most of them), not one charge could be substantiated against him.’

This is obviously untrue.

‘…He was pure, just, and holy, as to the keeping of the law. Now this I state for the satisfaction of those who do not know our history; but the Lord and the angels know all about it.’

Oh, the Lord knows about it alright…

Did you notice what it said in Proverbs? Those who perverts his ways shall be known. That too, is obviously true! Everyone has learned about the nefarious deeds of Joe Smith. Most have chosen to accept them, and sadly others have allowed Satan to blind their eyes to the truth.

Last question –

Was Smith following the admonition of the Apostle Paul, and worthy of the vocation?