I Stand Alone

I, Art Bulla, stand alone, combating the error of ages (including priests of the Mormon Church). As did Joseph, my Joseph! I combat the errors of ages; I meet the violence of mobs; I cope with illegal proceedings from executive authority; I cut the gordian knot of powers, and I solve mathematical problems of universities, with truth-diamond truth; and God is my "right hand man." (Joseph Smith, History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 7 Vols. 6:78) Of course you follow out the figure, and say, 'the boldness of my plans and measures, together with their unparallelled success, so far, are calculated to throw a charm over my whole being; and to point me out as the most extraordinary man of the present age.' The boldness of my plans and meaures, can readily be tested by the touch-stone of all schemes, systems, projects, and adventures,-truth, for truth is a matter of fact; and the fact is, that by the power of God I translatated the Book of Mormon from hieroglyphics; the knowledge of which was lost to the world: in which wonderful event I stood alone, an unlearned youth, to combat the worldly wisdom, and multiplied ignorance of eighteen centuries, with a new revelation; which, (if they would receive the everlasting gospel,) would open the eyes of more than eight hundred millions of people, and make 'plain the old paths,' wherein if a man walk in all the ordinances of God blameless, he shall inherit eternal life; and Jesus Christ, who was, and is, and is to come, has borne me safely over every snare and plan, laid in secret or openly; through priestly hypocrisy, sectarian prejudice, popular philosophy, executive power, or law defying mobocracy, to destroy me. Joseph Smith. (Reply., Times and Seasons, vol. 4 (November 1842-November 1843), Vol. 4 No. 24 November 1, 1843, p.373)