President Marion G. Romney failed to make the connection between Mormon & Smith when given a golden opportunity during a talk he gave in a general priesthood meeting in
April of 1978 while addressing
Aaronic Priesthood holders. Oh, he recognized faithful prophets in the scriptures such as Joseph of Egypt, Daniel, Nephi, and finally on to Joseph Smith in our times. But no parallel is specifically mentioned between Mormon & Smith. The combination 11-15-24 is not recognized even though he brings up specific points about Mormon's ministry.
Marion G. Romney wrote:In case some of you Aaronic Priesthood bearers feel that you are too young to assume the responsibility of your calling, consider these quotations from the writings of Mormon:
"About the time that Ammaron hid up the records unto the Lord, he came unto me, (I being about ten years of age, . . .) and . . . said unto me: . . .
"When ye are about twenty and four years old I would that ye should remember the things that ye have observed concerning this people; and . . . go to the . . . hill which shall be called Shim; and there have I deposited . . . the sacred engravings concerning this people. . . .
"Take the plates of Nephi . . . and . . . engrave on [them] all the things that ye have observed concerning this people." (Morm. 1:2-4.)
These instructions Mormon received when he was but ten years old.
Five years later he wrote:
"And I, being fifteen years of age . . . , there began to be a war again between the Nephites and the Lamanites. And notwithstanding I being young, was large in stature; therefore the people of Nephi appointed me . . . the leader of their armies.
"Therefore it came to pass that in my sixteenth year I did go forth at the head of an army of the Nephites, against the Lamanites." (Morm. 1:15; 2:1-2.)
It would seem that an Aaronic Priesthood bearer inclined to hesitate to perform the duties of his office because of his youth could take courage from the exploits of Mormon.
Now, to be fair, Romney's next statement does connect Joseph Smith with the prophets in the scriptures including Mormon, but no direct link or parallels are made with the 11-15-24 combination:
Marion G. Romney wrote:In his youth Joseph Smith, the prophet, exhibited all the noble virtues other boys who became great men have evidenced during their Aaronic Priesthood-age years. He possessed the morality demonstrated by Joseph in Egypt, the courage of Daniel, the faith of Nephi, and the reliability of Mormon.
At fourteen years of age, he had the faith to act upon the promise of James: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." (James 1:5.)
So acting, he received his first vision.
Courage and reliability he demonstrated in his reaction to the abuse which followed his telling about that vision.
"I soon found," he wrote, ". . . that my telling the story had excited a great deal of prejudice against me among professors of religion, and was the cause of great persecution, which continued to increase; and though I was an obscure boy, only between fourteen and fifteen years of age, and my circumstances in life such as to make a boy of no consequence in the world, yet men of high standing would take notice sufficient to excite the public mind against me, and create a bitter persecution; and this was common among all the sects — all united to persecute me. . . .
Romney concludes with extolling the virtues of young prophets and encourages the youth in our times by saying,
"These great virtues, you young Aaronic Priesthood brothers, are worth following if we would be successful as the great men who have preceded us. I bear my testimony to you that if we will do what these boys did, we will be great men."
That's it. Romney didn't know jack! He failed to make the connection!
So, what do you think of that, Don?
