Thoughts

I was listening the other day to a documentary about the Shakers. It was really interesting to hear a little about their background as I didn't know much about them before. Their religion is dwindling and they are down to only about 12 living members now. The Shakers were a part of the religious movement in the 1800's at the same time that Joseph Smith asked which church he should join. Anyway, in this documentary there was a quote by James Fenimore Cooper who said about the Shakers, "There is no fear that this or any other religious sect, that is founded all together on fanaticism and folly will ever arrive at the smallest importance."

I asked myself what this statement would mean if compared to the LDS Church. My thoughts were that my faith can best be described by the Articles of Faith that we are teaching our children. If anyone were to study the 13 articles of faith and pray about them it would be hard to disagree with me when I say there is no folly or fanaticism in our beliefs. I also think it would be safe to say that we have passed Mr. Coopers test and not only arrived "at the smallest importance", but have far surpassed it. I was also reminded of the words the Prophet Joseph wrote in his letter to John Wentworth, the owner of the Chicago Democrat. In this letter Joseph Smith gives us what we now know as the 13 Articles of Faith, but he also gives us what we call the Standard of Truth: "The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done."