Joseph Smith the Prophet-Teacher: A Discourse — Edition Insights

Correcting Sectarian Errors

Roberts devotes a full section to what he calls the Prophet's correction of sectarian errors, addressing doctrines of revelation, the nature of God, creation, man's origin, and election. He argues that Smith restored a concept of continuous revelation, countering the idea that revelation ceased with the biblical canon. On the nature of God, Roberts presents Smith's teaching that God is a material, passible being—a direct challenge to the immaterial, impassible deity of mainstream Protestantism. The section relies heavily on Smith's own reported statements, though Roberts does not always provide precise citations. He frames these corrections not as innovations but as restorations of primitive Christianity, a claim that would resonate with Latter-day Saint readers but may strike others as apologetic.

Philosophical Doctrines: Truth, Evil, and Intelligences

Roberts elevates Smith to the level of a philosopher by examining his definitions of truth and his teachings on the eternal existence of evil. He quotes Smith's definition of truth as "knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come," and then explores its implications. On evil, Roberts cites Smith's view that "moral evil" is not created but is an eternal existence, co-equal with law and truth. He compares this to Kant's dove metaphor, where resistance enables flight, suggesting that evil serves a necessary function in the progress of intelligences. Roberts also incorporates a lengthy passage from Ambrose Bierce's Cosmopolitan Magazine article, which argues that virtues and vices are interdependent—a secular parallel to Smith's doctrine. This section reveals Roberts's method of juxtaposing Smith's revelations with contemporary philosophical and literary sources to demonstrate their intellectual coherence.

The Intelligent Entity and Man's Origin

Roberts addresses Smith's teaching on the preexistence and self-existence of the human spirit. He quotes Smith directly: "The soul—the mind of man—the immortal spirit—where did it come from? All learned men and doctors of divinity say that God created it in the beginning; but it is not so; the very idea lessens man in my estimation." Roberts emphasizes that Smith rejected creation ex nihilo for spirits, instead positing that intelligences are co-eternal with God. This doctrine, Roberts argues, elevates human dignity and agency. He connects it to Smith's broader cosmology, where God is a self-existent being among other self-existent intelligences. The section is notable for its direct quotation of Smith's own voice, which Roberts uses to ground his philosophical claims in the Prophet's words rather than in later theological elaboration.

An American Prophet and His Context

In the final section, Roberts situates Smith within American history and geography. He argues that America is the "Old World" in a geological sense, and that the U.S. Constitution was inspired by God. He claims that America was geographically fortified against other nations, a providential view that aligns with Smith's own teachings. Roberts also references the dedication to his mother, dated December 18, 1908, which personalizes the discourse. This section is less philosophical than the preceding ones, focusing instead on Smith's role as an American religious figure. Roberts does not provide extensive evidence for these claims, relying instead on assertion and the authority of Smith's prophetic office. The section serves to ground the abstract doctrines in a specific national and historical context, appealing to patriotic sentiment among his audience.

Roberts's discourse is best approached as a series of arguments rather than a biography. Readers unfamiliar with Latter-day Saint theology may find the philosophical sections challenging, but Roberts's use of external sources—Quincy, Kant, Bierce—provides entry points for comparison. The excerpts suggest that Roberts is more interested in establishing Smith's intellectual credibility than in narrating his life. A first-time reader should focus on the structure of Roberts's claims: how he moves from correcting errors to constructing a philosophical system, and finally to asserting Smith's American significance. The discourse rewards attention to its rhetorical strategy as much as to its doctrinal content.

That rainy afternoon, Roberts’s discourse left me with the quiet hum of Smith’s idea that intelligences are eternal, and how truth must reorder every premise. I closed it, then reached for the plain little confession sitting nearby—suddenly curious how a different community, with simpler words, shaped belonging from the same root. The Nature of a Gospel Church A Confession of Evangelical Principles; and the Members' Covenant. Intended for the Use of the Church of Christ. — Story, Setting & Ideas felt like a whisper in response.